Missing Moments
by lovelover123
Summary: A collection of canon centered one-shots of Derek & Emily that are tagged to various episodes in the series, yet still a progressive canon story. Each is a moment or scene essentially insertable into various episodes featuring the Morgan & Prentiss relationship.
1. Beginnings 2x12

_Hello my dear readers! So finally, here is a new chapter. I am SO SO SO sorry about the lack of updates for so long. With the holidays, my "Undercover Christmas" story (which you should totally go read), along with starting a new job, I feel as though I barely have time to breathe anymore._

_This chapter will be the last before the finale chapter, which is practically done, but I'm working to add in even more goodies for you since I've let you down with updates. I know it may seem like they will never get together but I promise you, your patience will be rewarded. _

_This chapter is simply a foundation to build on just as the title says, their beginnings, so the Demily love is subtle but as we all believe, still very much present._

_Thank you everyone who has been so faithful and supportive with this story, I truly couldn't have done it without you. Especially criss128, jhplug, Nix1978 and AnnKa. You are all positively fabulous._

_Anyway, enjoy! And also, let me know if you have any comments or requests for the ending._

* * *

**Beginnings**

**Profiler, Profiled [2x12****]**

"_**The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them"**_

_**-Thomas Merton-**_

He was angry. He was embarrassed. He was defeated. But above all, Derek was exhausted - physically and emotionally. This past case had hit closer to home than ever before. Memories, painful memories that he had never wanted to revisit had been forced out of the dark place he had hidden them and he was finally forced to face them... Them and Carl Buford.

He walked into the bullpen with shoulders drooping, feet dragging and head down as he carried his bag directly from the airport. Morgan knew the team cared about him, but he had always been the tough one – he took care of _them_, not the other way around. So he told himself to walk in with more determination than ever to prove himself over and over after the case against him. He could have come in after the team was gone, but he knew he would have to face them eventually.

Night was approaching. The bullpen was emptying out with agents waving goodbyes to one another for the weekend. Derek finally looked up and saw his teammates. The pitiful looks on Reid and JJ's faces' and everyone's constant questioning if he was all right embarrassed him even more. But he simply chose to grin, bear it and lie by telling them he was fine – he had been through enough emotional trauma this week and didn't feel like revisiting it anytime soon. Gideon merely patted his back as he moved towards the door. Derek looked around at his team but didn't see Emily even though her things were still at her desk beside his. Hotch was still in his office and was about to go see his team leader but he barely had time to register the thought before being bombarded by his babygirl.

He smiled and indulged Garcia but eventually insisted he needed to go. He just couldn't handle much more. Morgan knew he had a stack of case files awaiting him at his desk that he hoped to bury himself in over the weekend. But every option he held in his head looked more and more depressing. Staying in the office was lonely, boring and held too many memories at the moment of how he felt as though he had let his family down and his team down, his other family. But going home would make him feel exactly the same way. He just felt lost.

Derek finally made his way back to the bullpen to retrieve his files but as he glanced over his desk, he noticed it was unnaturally clean. His baskets, usually piled high with incomplete consultation cases, were empty. Morgan knew he had left a stack before he left and was sure he had received many more in the days he had been gone after the case. Luckily, Hotch was still at his desk and Derek made his way towards the team leader's office.

"Hey Hotch," Derek began.

"Morgan," Hotch responded. "Did you have a good rest of the time with your family?"

"Yes, thank you. Listen, I came by because I know I need to catch up on work this weekend but all of my case files are gone. Do you know where they went?" Morgan asked, distracted with confusion.

"They're right here actually," Hotch replied with a raised eyebrow as he pointed to a pile of manila folders on the corner of his desk.

"What?" Derek exclaimed, confusion thoroughly overwhelming him.

"They are all complete. You can thank Agent Prentiss for that. She came to me with the files just a moment ago. I believe now she's finishing work on her own…"

"But," Derek began to ask why before his boss continued.

"She told me she knew that you would be swamped with work and be exhausted from your vacation as well as… well, along with our past case. Prentiss has worked night and day since we all left Chicago to lighten your workload."

"She didn't have to do that," Derek said softly and full of shocked surprise.

"No, but she obviously wanted to. At least they were on time this week. We both know that would never have happened if you had tried to finish them," Hotch smirked. Derek only chuckled his agreement. He was a great agent, but paperwork had never been his strong suit. "I know as the newest member of the team, she is trying hard to fit in here. But she's already fitting into this family better than she knows." Hotch said.

Derek couldn't agree more. He loved the team but even when Elle was there, he had never had a person who could understand him and whom he could fully rely on. But the more he was spending time with and learning about Emily Prentiss, the more he began to feel a bond growing he had never had with a partner before. And this simple incident was confirmation of those thoughts.

"Thanks Hotch," Derek finally said, looking out of the windows in the office.

"She said something about pulling some old case files from archives for her consultations. I'm sure you'll be able to find her," Hotch spoke, immediately understanding what the agent was looking for.

"Okay. I need to go thank her. Night Hotch," Derek spoke as he walked out the door with a wave.

"Goodbye Morgan."

Morgan rushed down the stairs, looking around to thank his partner. He turned around, but still didn't spot her. He took a step to turn around and ran directly into the woman he was looking for.

"Morgan!" Emily exclaimed with surprise, readjusting the stack of files she held with his help.

"Hey Prentiss," Derek said with one of his only smiles that night that wasn't forced.

"How are you?" she asked with an upbeat manner, not the pitying tone and face he had received from everyone else.

"I'm good actually," he responded, realizing for the first time that day, he actually felt better. Maybe it was being home again, maybe it was leaving all of his memories in Chicago, or maybe it was just her friendly and beautiful smile. "I was actually even better when I realized my case files were all done," he gave her a pointed glance.

"Oh," Emily said with a guilty face.

"You didn't have to do that," he said.

"I know but I was happy to do it. I can't imagine how stressed you've been. It was the least I could do after all this team has already done for me; especially you, I can't thank you enough for all the help you've given me since I've been here."

"It was my pleasure Princess. I might just have to keep you around as my partner," Derek replied.

"You might regret that and never get rid of me," Emily responded with a grin.

"Well I'm beginning to think I'll never want to," Derek winked, causing Emily's face to feel uncharacteristically warm.

She quickly covered up her flattery with sarcasm. "If you think I'll do your cases for you every week, you are sadly mistaken buddy."

"Too bad," Derek feigned disappointment. "So what do you say to a little help with your cases and we order in dinner? My treat."

"Oh you don't have to do that. You must be exhausted and just want to get home."

"Emily, it's the least I can do. And honestly, I am really not excited about going back to my house to be all alone this weekend. And I can't stay here with no files to finish," he explained.

"Morgan, are you sure?"

"Positive," he said genuinely.

"Well," Emily began slowly. "I do love Chinese food and you did promise to show me your favorite restaurant."

"Done," Derek smiled. "It delivers. I'll call it in now."

Hotch waved his goodbyes just as Derek called in the food. The two agents set up in the roundtable room before the food appeared. Their work took them twice as long as it normally would have, intentionally of course. They spent most of the time talking rather than working. Emily was still getting to know the team and they were still getting to know her.

They talked about cases, the food, world news, random things they enjoyed, and eventually, they talked about themselves. "How are your mom and sisters?" Emily asked him.

"They're good - really good actually. Now that everything is behind us. They really enjoyed visiting with the team too," he smiled.

"I had a great time with them. They were wonderful," Emily nodded and they both thought back to that night.

Emily thought back to the delicious dinner Mrs. Morgan had made for them all and how it made her envious of the loving family her partner had, something she had never experienced. Prentiss had insisted on helping Mrs. Morgan clean up, something the woman protested but eventually accepted, enjoying her company and help since the entire ordeal. Then Emily remembered the way they all sat in the living room, talking, laughing and joking along with Derek's sisters at his expense; as well as hearing stories and seeing adorable pictures of Derek as a child, much to his embarrassment.

"_So was Derek always as much of a tough guy as he is now?" Emily asked._

"_Oh yes," Desiree said. "Even when he wasn't more than five-years-old, he acted as though he could conquer the world."_

"_And has he always been such a ladies' man?" she asked mischievously, earning a "Hey!" and a poke from her partner._

"_Since before he could talk," Mrs. Morgan answered as she laughed along with the team._

"_Why doesn't that surprise me?" JJ asked with a chuckle._

"_He'll change one day though," his mother continued. "I've always said, when he least expects it, someone will sweep him off his feet and he'll realize he just can't live without her."_

_Derek only looked at his mother, annoyance abounded but he couldn't hold it against her when he thought of her words. "Just like you and dad?" he smiled._

"_Exactly," she responded thoughtfully._

_Emily's mind changed about him then. He may pretend to be a ladies' man but she was a profiler and the emotion in his eyes was unmistakable. The woman Derek Morgan would come to love would be a lucky one. Little did she know just how lucky._

Fran Morgan had also insisted she hear all about the team and their own families. Emily had attempted to avoid this part of the conversation, family never being something she could hold onto for very long. And her past was certainly a tricky one; one she wanted to forget and hide forever. But eventually, she couldn't ignore their questions.

She told them of her life as an ambassador's child, the languages she knew and the places she had visited. The Morgans were instantly intrigued, and even the team, who hadn't heard everything about their new agent's experiences.

"_So Emily, of all the places you have lived, what is your favorite?" Fran Morgan asked enthusiastically._

_Emily thought hard where she sat in between Derek and JJ on the couch. She had been asked this question before, and a clear answer had never come. However on this night, only one place stuck in her mind. With the Morgans and the team all around her, she felt more at ease than she had in a long time, so the truth flowed easily. "This might sound cliché, in fact I know it will. But of all the places I have lived and worked, D.C. is definitely my favorite."_

"_Really?" JJ turned to her and asked with surprise._

"_Yes actually. Living in embassies, traveling nonstop or only working at desks for months at a time just gets lonely. But the first case I worked at the BAU, I realized it is truly a family. And the more time I spend with you all, the more I love being able to be a part of it," Emily answered almost sheepishly. _

_JJ leaned over to her friend and hugged her tight, "We love you being here too," she said, echoes of agreement filling the room. Emily leaned back against the couch, waiting for the attention to finally move away from her, and it did. But she still caught Morgan's eyes glancing over at her face from beside her. She turned to him, and he smiled at her words. She merely smiled back, thankful for her new family of friends._

When Derek's mind moved to that night, he thought of an event much later in the evening. The team had finally returned to their hotel in order to sleep before their early flight the next morning. Derek stood with his mother in the kitchen as they cleaned up together and talked about the evening. The made it through all of the BAU members until they finally got to Emily.

"_Agent Prentiss is just a lovely as you described her on the phone to me the day she started," Fran said with a suggestive smile her son missed._

"_Yeah, she's really great. It's nice to have her as a partner."_

"_I'm sure she feels the same about you. You both seem to get along so well. You know, when you were being held on those charges Derek I thought you might never get out. The team sent she and Dr. Reid to talk to me. Of course, he is just as you've always described. He did his best to help, and he did, in his own way. But Emily helped me understand how much your team really cares about you. She helped me believe you would get out."_

"_Really?" Derek asked._

"_Oh yes. Emily told me how your team wouldn't give up on one of their own, their friend. You're really lucky to have her, to have all of them."_

"_Yes, I guess I am," Derek agreed, deep in thought._

"_And don't forget the poor girl doesn't have much of a family. You have to make sure she still wants to call the BAU home. She's good for you, for all of you. You need a stable partner. Don't let that one slip away," she said pointedly and dripping with a hidden meaning._

"_Yes ma'am," Derek chuckled at his mother's enthusiasm, but took her words to heart before she strategically began to practically beg him for grandbabies immediately after their talk about Emily. _

A smile remained plastered on Derek's face at the memory as he sat across from the woman in his thoughts. It was that night, that Morgan saw Emily Prentiss as more than another agent, but as a partner and a friend he wanted to spend more time with, a beautiful woman he wanted to know everything about.

"They liked you too," Derek finally responded, pulling them both back to reality.

"Good. So Morgan," she began cautiously. "How are _you_?" she asked him caringly.

"I'm okay Em, really," he began, but they both could see through his words and he began to open up to her more than anyone else. "Okay, so maybe I'm not exactly okay. I just felt so out of my element. I'm always in control, but not this time. I had to face things I never wanted to think about again," he said.

"I know. But now, because you did, we were able to catch a killer. You proved you were not only a great agent, but also a good man. The team is lucky to have you. You mother and sisters are proud of you. And you know, I think your father would be very proud of who you've become too," Emily said with sincerity.

Derek was caught off guard by her supportive comments and could only offer the most grateful smile in her direction before speaking. "Thanks Em. You just might be the best partner I've ever had."

"Funny, I could say the same about you," Emily grinned. "Seriously though, if you ever need anything, I'm here. We all are."

"I couldn't have gotten through this without the team, all of you. Thank you for that. I want you to know, I'm here for you too. I always will be. And of course I've got to make sure we keep D.C. as your favorite place to call home. What are partners for, right?" Derek said, as he gave a caring smile to the woman beside him.

They continued their deep discussion, sharing stories effortlessly that even other members of the team didn't know. Derek told Emily of his father and then growing up without him. Emily listened intently, and that was all he really needed, someone to be there and not try to fix him but just to listen. And soon, he would do the same for her.

They finished the cases, conversation eventually moving back to other topics, but their deep connection had been formed and would only grow from there. Late that night, when the cleaning crew was locking up and the partners knew they couldn't stay any longer, Derek walked Emily to her car. They said their goodbyes even though inside they were both strangely sad for the night to end. It was Derek's idea to schedule a workout date the next day, an event that would become a tradition for the two agents for years to come.

"Emily?" Derek ventured as he turned and reached for her hand to get her attention.

"Yes?" she grinned expectantly.

"I just wanted to thank you… for tonight. Talking to you, having someone who doesn't just look at me with pity after all this, someone I can really talk to, it means a lot. I just wanted you to know that," he finished, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Derek, I meant what I said, I am here for you. I'll see you tomorrow," Emily said, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder while they both fought a surprising and overwhelming urge to hug one another.

"Great. Have a safe trip home. I'll see you tomorrow at the gym. You better bring it Princess. I won't go easy on you," he smirked.

"Oh I think it's you who should be scared buddy," Emily laughed as she got in her car ad Derek closed the door, both smiling the rest of the night.

From then on, their relationship would only grow closer… stronger. They began to spend a great deal of time together, and the team noticed, even Reid would notice it eventually. They would tell themselves it's what partners did, but deep down, each of them knew that their connection was something extra special.

But for tonight they were just partners learning more about each other; tonight they were friends building the foundations of their connection; but soon… very soon… they would begin to realize just how much they meant to one another as their relationship endured more than any two human being should have to – but through it all – they would become closer than ever before.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! The season 7 finale chapter will be up soon! **


	2. Bonding 2x20

_Hello again dear readers! Here's a new little update. I really hope you enjoy it – it is pure fluff but who doesn't need a little fluff after last chapter's emotional rollercoaster?_

_Thank you EVERYONE who had read and reviewed so religiously. You all are amazing! So _ , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, zackgibra, AnnKa, Nix1978, ayanamonique, BulletStrong _and _animallvr4eva_ and ESPECIALLY _criss128 and jhplug, _I love you all! _

_I have plans for chapter from "Rite of Passage" that I'm working on so I can't wait to update for you again. But I need to know what you think so PLEASE review and I will update as soon as I can!_

* * *

**Bonding**

**2x20 – Honor Among Thieves**

_It is so rare...to find a complete person, with a soul, a heart and an imagination; so rare for characters as ardent and restless as ours to meet and to be matched together, that I hardly know how to tell you what happiness it gives me to know you. -Hector Berlioz_

Emily walked through the doors and onto the elevator of the FBI building and pressed the button for the floor that held the BAU offices. The building was dark and quiet because of the lateness of the hour and also the fact that it was a Friday, but Emily Prentiss - always the dedicated worker - wanted to come back to her office to grab some files to work on over the weekend... because her social life outside of her friends at the BAU was almost nonexistent.

She was lost in her thoughts as she had just returned from dinner with her mother - a rare occasion indeed - but surprisingly enjoyable for Emily - a rarity as well. Elizabeth Prentiss had finally tried to be more open with her daughter, rather than her typical, guarded self. And Emily had finally seen a side of her mother she had never seen before - a side she wished she had been exposed to during her childhood and perhaps causing her to be less guarded herself.

Emily made her way to her desk through the dimly lit room, still deep in thought, when a deep voice from behind her said, "Well hello, Princess."

Instantly, Emily gasped while simultaneously spinning around, preparing herself for an attack.

"Whoa... Em, it's me!" the voice exclaimed. Instantly, Emily relaxed as she took in the image of the source of the voice. Her partner Derek Morgan was standing across from her, hands up to protect himself from the only woman he knew could successfully take him down if she wanted to.

"Morgan!" Emily yelled as she poked him on the shoulder, clearly not amused. "Don't do that! Haven't you learned from our job that lurking in dark corners and popping out at people is _not _normal_!?" _But Derek only laughed, enjoying the rare vision of his shaken partner who was usually so calm and collected. "It's not funny," she continued.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. But haven't _you _learned not to walked around late at night in dark, creepy places where 'not normal' people can pop out at you?" he threw up his hands in quotations to mock her but she only rolled her eyes, still shaken but she knew she could never be mad at him. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I just finished having dinner with my mother and I needed to grab some files to work on this weekend because I'm drowning in work," she answered, as she leaned against her desk as Derek stood close to her while he rested a hand on her desk, turned in her direction. "What about you? Shouldn't you be at some club getting your 'groove thing' on or something?" she smirked at him.

"Is that really _all _you people think I do?" he joked. "Contrary to popular belief I was working because I'm swamped with overdue paperwork - not to mention _new _paperwork too - so I thought I'd try to finish it."

"Now _that_ I am definitely not surprised by… I can't remember a time when you got a file turned in on time… probably because of all that clubbing," Emily continued the joke. She was one of the only ones who knew the true Derek Morgan.

Sure he went to the clubs occasionally, he knew how to get a girl's attention – and he liked people to still think he was a player even though it was the farthest thing from the truth – deep down, he was one of nicest, most caring men Emily Prentiss had ever met. And she knew first hand, particularly after the first time they had spent together as friends not too long ago after they had bonded over their favorite novel and spent an evening together - which was followed by spending an increasing amount of time together after cases. Turning the team members into close friends who eventually became to see themselves as inseparable partners. So after all that, Emily knew there was so much more to him than people knew. And she was lucky enough that she was getting to know the real man behind the image.

"Oh very funny," he nodded with a smile. "So... dinner with your mom…" he smirked a bit. "How did that go?" he asked, being the only one on the team Emily had really opened up to about her relationship, or lack thereof, with her mother.

"Surprisingly well, actually," Emily offered a smile.

"Really?" Derek asked in a surprising tone.

"Yeah," Emily responded with equal surprise. "I finally feel like I got to spend time with her and not feel scrutinized for once. Tonight she wasn't Ambassador Prentiss – she was just… just my mom. I had a genuine conversation with her. She actually opened up to me more than she ever has before. She actually told me she was proud of me! My mother!"

"Well of course she is. How couldn't she be? You're so much like her…" Emily looked confused before Derek quickly continued.

"But I'm not like my mother," Emily protested. "I was never bold or outgoing the way she has always been. She's great with people and I'm just awkward… unless I'm interviewing them for a case. And I wasn't really even a great daughter – First I was a bookworm when she always expected me to be a mini version of her but I'm a nerd. My dad was always the one I could talk to – I guess I was always more like him. He was a great businessman so he was away a lot but when he _was _home, we would spend hours together – talking about books or history… anything really. Anything I could never talk to my mom about. So when he died such a short time after my grandfather, I was lost – and I responded by rebelling. I really think this is the first time my mom has ever been proud of me."

"I really doubt that. How could she _not _be proud of you? You're smart; you're a strong, and independent woman. But the best thing about you is that you never give up – no matter what. Of course she loves you for that – because she is the same way. I saw that first hand on this case. She's stubborn, she's determined and she's a fighter for what she wants – what she knows is right. And so are you. And that's why she's proud of you. And those things are also why you're the best partner anyone could ever have."

"Really?" Emily asked, her normally indestructible protective walls temporarily down to expose her true lack of self-confidence.

"Would I lie to a profiler?" Derek smiled to which Emily instantly returned. "Come on Miss Prentiss… grab those files. I'll walk you out. And maybe we'll even stop at that 24 hour ice-cream place I keep telling you about."

"Oh yes, please! I may have had a great dinner with my mother but you wouldn't dare eat junk food in front of her. I need sugar!"

"Well Princess, your wish is my command," Derek gestured mockingly toward the door with his arm. And when he brought it back up, he let it rest around Emily's shoulders as they walked out together.

They agreed to pick up the ice cream and take it back to Emily's place, where they attempted to work on case files but rather, talked, laughed and enjoyed each other's company late into the night.

Derek finally made his way to the door, as he began to speak. "I really had a great time tonight."

"So did I. Thank you for listening. I really needed it."

"Always," Derek responded – not yet realizing just how much that small word would mean to them in the future. "If I couldn't go clubbing then I _guess_ you're a nice substitute," he laughed.

"Hey!" she laughed as she hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"No really, I like spending time with you. I feel like I can open up to you. You're different than any partner I've ever had. I mean that," Derek said sincerely.

"I feel the same way. I was so worried when I joined this team that I wasn't going to fit in, but it already feels like my family. And I really have you to thank for a lot of that," Emily responded with equal sincerity.

"I'm glad you feel that way. This team is a family and we protect our own. And I know everyone absolutely loves you," Emily smiled, finally finding the feeling of being a part of something meaningful, where lives, hidden pasts and above all, Doyle had no place. "So, we still have to finish those files…"

"Excuse me, _I _finished mine. You on the other hand…" she smirked.

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to finish them sometime this weekend. But I've got to go get some hours in at the FBI training gym. You could join and then we could go grab dinner at that Chinese place like we did last time," But suddenly Derek was second-guessing himself, something that _never _happened. He almost felt nervous, his charms didn't work on Emily Prentiss like they did on other women – which was just another reason he was so intrigued by his partner. "But if you have plans or you don't want to I understand… I mean…"

"I'd love to!" Emily responded. "Remember, I'm an FBI agent. I have no life," she laughed. "But even if I did, I would love to. So I'll meet you around 3:00 at the gym?"

"Perfect," Derek said with excitement. He moved to look at his watch, realizing the lateness of the hour. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow so I had better get going. Say, do you think any of the clubs are still open?" he asked with a wink.

"Oh just get out of here," Emily laughed, pushing him out of the door.

"Goodbye Princess," Derek grinned as he turned around once more, and held up a hand in a wave.

"Goodbye Derek." Emily said as she flashed a toothy grin in his direction that radiated through her entire face, before closing the door… never losing the smile on her face as she made her way to bed.

And Derek never lost his own. Excitement filled him as he drove home, continually looking at the clock, calculating the hours until he got to see his new favorite team member again.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Don't forget to leave a comment :)**


	3. Blood 2x21

Hello all you wonderful readers! Thank you EVERYONE who has been so faithful in reviewing – seriously, you guys are my favorite people EVER! Here is a little (and I do mean little) moment from Season 2 that I wanted to share with you. I know it's short but it's just a way to build on the foundation of comforting our lovely couple does so well.

I hope you enjoy and PLEASE review. I'm planning another season 2 chapter (because we can't forget the Vonnegut episode), another from season 3, I'm definitely doing _Demonology, _I REALLY need ideas for season 6, and I have MANY more for season 7 – so much happens in that season. And then it's time for the finale chapter (which I already have written but I want to give you more Demily goodness so it's really worth it first)

Anyway, ENJOY this tiny little Demily fluff – and I don't own anything.

**Blood**

**[Open Season 2x21]**

"_Sometimes, the best way to help someone is just to be near them."_

― _Veronica Roth, __Divergent_

"Where did Prentiss go?" Derek asked as he walked up and looked to the older profiler across the table from him.

"I don't know," Gideon responded as he looked up over his glasses at Agent Morgan. "She said she'd be right back but that was over ten minutes ago."

"I'll go find her," Morgan responded rather quickly, and walked off to find his partner. He and Prentiss were still new to each other, but had been bonding rather quickly lately – particularly after their discovered love of Vonnegut books had lead them to spend more than a few late nights eating dinner, sharing the history of their lives, discussing books, and watching movies.

Gideon looked after Derek with a subtle smile, recognizing the enthusiasm with which Derek had gone to find Emily - recognizing, as the experienced profiler that he was - that it was something much more than that.

Derek looked everywhere for his partner. He asked around the police station, checked outside, and even asked other officers. But no one seemed to know where Prentiss was. He walked past the bathroom and saw the door barely cracked but the light still on, enough to see that his partner was standing at the sink. Morgan stopped for a moment and heard the sink water running, frustrated moans and small sniffs coming from inside. He felt immediate relief because he recognized the source of those sniffs. So he knocked and called out her name. "Prentiss? You okay?"

"Morgan?" Emily replied in a startled tone. "Ummm yes… I'm fine. Really… Uhhh, I'll be there soon."

But Derek knew she was far from fine. "Prentiss…" he began. "What's wrong?" But she didn't answer and soon he became worried. He knocked swiftly and slowly pushed open the door. The sight before him both startled him and made his heart break just a little. He had never seen Emily Prentiss break down – he had barely even seen her affected by _anything_ they encountered on their job. But she was certainly affected now.

She was standing at the sink looking into the mirror, a wet cloth in hand she was using to scrub her usually pale face but had now turned almost red. Her eyes were also red and filled with tears.

"Hey…" he whispered, walking towards her and reaching out to touch her shoulder. "What is it?" he asked with concern.

"It won't come off…" she said weakly, embarrassed anyone had to see her like this.

"What?" he asked, completely confused.

"The blood," she whispered. "Their blood that fell on me from the trees." He knew she was trying her best to keep it together but it was a struggle. "It won't come off."

Then he remembered the bodies hanging from the trees – they had only found them after the blood had found its way onto her. "Emily, it's gone." He soothed. "I promise, I can't see it anymore."

"But I can feel it," she countered. "These UnSubs are hunting these people like animals and anyone who is out there is a target. We didn't get there in time – It's because of us those people are dead! This puts new meaning on having blood on your hands, doesn't it?" she joked bitterly.

"Emily, listen to me." Derek said, looking her in the eyes. "This is not your fault. We couldn't have known the UnSubs would take that path and those campers would just happen to be on it. I know it's terrible. Every time I see an unnecessary life killed in the midst of these cases, it hurts. But that's why we do what we do. So that it doesn't _keep_ happening. That's what makes me want to catch these guys even more."

Emily looked into his eyes; ashamed she had let herself fall apart like this. She had always been taught to compartmentalize – hide her feelings – especially in the field. But this case was so barbaric, so affecting, and so personal to Emily after the incident at the crime scene in the woods.

"We're going to catch these guys," Derek reassured her. She knew he was right and that's when she finally learned to give some of her trust to him. She reached up and offered the smallest of smiles: both to agree and to thank him. "Thank you," she said.

"Always," Derek began, not yet realizing how that word would come to practically define their unique relationship in the future. "What are partners for, right?" he smiled at her and she returned the gesture.

Derek reached up to wipe her face with his thumb – to wipe both the tears and the blood she felt still lingered. The feel of his touch took her aback, she knew it was a friendly gesture, but she found herself longing for more – but not yet fully understanding why.

She pulled herself together and they made their way back to Gideon, who looked up, still smiling at the two agents but getting right back to work.

And Derek was right: they _did _catch the men who were committing those horrible crimes. Even though Emily again faced doubts and fears after the case when they were traveling home on the plane, she knew she could open up to her partner, but now her close friend about them.

So he invited her to his place for what was now becoming a tradition of dinner and a movie, and Emily couldn't wait to get there.

**Hope you enjoyed! PLEASE review & give me your ideas and/or requests for episodes and chapters!**


	4. Scared 3x06

_Happy Halloween everyone! Here is a little addition to "About Face" – also known as the famous Halloween Honey episode. It's pure fluff but a Halloween chapter as I promised!_

_Of course, I have to thank all of you incredibly, amazingly supportive reviewers! So THNAK YOU _dannyanne, Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, and all the Guests.

_And ESPECIALLY the people who I can ALWAYS count on to be there for me as I write these Demily stories: criss128, jhplug, Nix1978 and AnnKa. You all are seriously the BEST!_

_CM is not mine... Because if it were, Demily would be canon (well, more canon than it already is)._

_Hope you enjoy and please don't forget to leave a review._

_I'm off to write more for you :D_

* * *

**Scared**

**[3x06 – About Face]**

**"I'm not afraid of heights I'm afraid of falling. I'm not scared of the dark, I'm scared of what's in it. I'm not afraid to love, I'm afraid of not being loved back."**

**- Anonymous -**

The case had been a long one. The BAU team had barely slept in their race against time to find the missing woman so once they landed just as the sun was setting on Halloween night, the team was anxious to retrieve their things and go. But Morgan was hoping his partner was still in the mood for the movie night they had planned. Bonding over their shared love of books had lead to discovering just how many things they had in common. So, they had been spending more and more time with one another. Of course he had invited everyone on the team but Reid and Garcia were far more excited about Halloween than those two and therefore, had other plans. Hotch had planned to take Jack trick-or-treating and JJ had plans to attend a party. Rossi was the newest team member and no one really knew what he was doing.

Emily Prentiss was one of the last agents left in the building. She was retrieving all of the candy off of her desk that Halloween enthusiast Dr. Reid had placed there when she suddenly felt a familiar presence behind her. As if on cue, Emily turned around with a broad smile, expecting to see her partner standing before her. However, she was faced with a disturbing sight that caused her to scream and jump backward in a startled manner.

"Morgan!" she screamed angrily as he removed the mask with laughter.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it," he chuckled, unable to contain himself. "Reid left it and I just had to."

"I hate Halloween," she muttered. "This is far from over. This means war," Emily glared at him pointedly with a smirk on her face, attempting to hold in her own giggles.

"Oh bring it on," he teased. "So are we still on for our scary movie night since it's just you and me? Or have I scared you enough already Princess?"

"Don't you mean Halloween Honey?" Emily mocked with a raised eyebrow.

"That too." he winked to which she merely rolled her eyes. "Unless you're too creeped out that is," he added jokingly, remembering her comment from earlier.

"With this job? Not a chance. I'm definitely still up for it!" Prentiss said enthusiastically. "Just don't expect me to cuddle with you when you get scared," she pointed at him as she laughed and they made their way toward the elevators.

"Oh no, that's your job remember?" Derek countered.

They made their way to Derek's home after picking up Chinese at their usual restaurant. As they drove into the development, they each carefully maneuvered their cars through the neighborhood streets as various little characters had begun to emerge from the many houses with their trick-or-treat bags in hand. It may not have been their favorite holiday, far from it for that matter; but both agents couldn't help but smile at the children's obvious excitement in dressing up as their favorite superhero or princess.

"I hope you have lots of candy for all these little munchkins," Emily commented as Derek held the door open for her that lead into his house.

"Bags and bags of it," he replied as he pointed to the kitchen table. "This neighborhood is full of families with kids so holidays are always a big deal around here." Prentiss made her way over to sneak a piece of her favorite candy but stopped short as she noticed one of the bags of packs of sour gummies was almost empty.

"Umm, I think the store ripped you off," she smiled and held up the bag.

"Yeah, well a man can get hungry with all of that sugar staring you in the face for a week," he tried to defend himself, to which she only laughed and threw him a bag of the gummies.

Derek and Emily moved from the kitchen into his spacious living room. After much discussion, they both decided on watching a comedy rather than a scary film they were both clearly not interested in. On many movie nights with Reid and Garcia, they were forced to watch movies they would never have chosen themselves, so they relished in the freedom and similar taste they both shared.

"We may get interrupted by trick-or-treaters you know," Morgan said as he reached for the remote.

"That's okay, we can take turns giving out the candy. Or we can always pause the movie. I don't mind. I honestly love seeing the little kids in their costumes," Emily smiled before she continued. "I never got to dress up for Halloween. I guess that's why I don't really care for it too much. But I do love seeing the kids in their costumes and imagining what I would have been."

"I started off being superheroes or sports stars I admired. But after my dad died, I always dressed up as a police officer. He was always who I wanted to be when I grew up so Halloween was the perfect excuse to keep the dream alive."

"I'm sure he would have been proud of you. Then, and now," Emily responded genuinely.

"Thanks," he smiled appreciatively. "So tell me, what would you have been?"

"What?" Emily asked in confusion.

"What would you have dressed up as for Halloween, or anytime for that matter? If you would be anyone when you were younger, who would you be?" Derek prodded

"You know I'm a nerd," Emily began sheepishly. "I was always pretty shy so when I read books always wanted to be the heroine from the books. Josephine March or Elizabeth Bennett or even Nancy Drew." she stopped herself. "It's stupid."

"No it isn't; not at all. I could see it though," he smiled.

"See what?"

"Little bookworm Prentiss all dressed up. You really should have gotten the chance to experience Halloween as a kid." Just as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang. "Now's your chance to make up for it," he motioned as they both stood up and grabbed the bowl of candy to take to the children waiting outside.

Emily watched intently as Derek gave the candy to the children in the doorway. He knelt down, commenting on each of their costumes in order to make them all feel special. As she looked on, Emily couldn't help but smile as she remembered him doing the exact same thing only hours earlier as he passed out the candy Reid had provided to the children at the crime scene. The same warm feeling crept up within her as it had then. Emily had always been scared to have kids of her own. She knew how emotionally damaged and detached she was, but as she watched her partner interact with the children at the house, she couldn't help but remember the dreams she had once held as a child when life was simple and she longed for a husband and children of her own. But she immediately pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind and into the depths of her heart.

However, she wasn't the only one with the same idea. "Why aren't you and your wife dressed up for Halloween?" A little girl said as she stood in the doorway looking between Derek and Emily. She was dressed as a princess and looked to be about four or five years old. She seemed rather shy but was still thoroughly confused as to why everyone wasn't dressed up like her and her friends.

Before a startled Derek could answer the question, Emily made her way over to the little girl and knelt down so she was at eye level with her. "Well we just thought we should leave dressing up for you. I know I could never be as pretty of a princess as you are," Emily said with a smile as the little girl blushed at the compliment. Derek looked at his partner with a wide, admiring smile. Thoughts of his conversation with Reid long ago crept into his mind. He had always been content to just live his life for him and only him. Yet he was realizing that, slowly but surely, just as his mom and even Reid's had said, his desires were changing.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts before they became too dangerous and he and Emily said goodbye to the children and went back in front of the TV. The movie played but, as usual, they weren't paying attention. Despite the immense amount of time they spent together, Morgan and Prentiss never seemed to run out of things to talk about with each other.

"So what do you think about Agent Rossi?" Emily asked as she turned to face him.

"Well…" Derek began with a guarded expression. "He _is _incredibly smart. I think he's just used to being in charge so it might take some adjusting. What did you think?"

"I think you're right. He's trying a bit too hard. But I have to say I like him a lot more considering he saved your life by stopping that man from shooting you," Prentiss responded genuinely.

"I'm a little thankful for that too." Derek grinned.

"Just answer me this," Emily began. "Did I try that hard on my first case? Well, I guess what I mean is, was I _that_ annoying?"

"Oh Princess you were anything _but _annoying. Honestly, at first I thought you were just a pretty, young agent but I didn't know if you would make it. It's a tough job. But then you came right out with your six languages, your tough girl skills and your incredible instincts. I was in awe of you. You made _me _want to try harder. " he smiled.

"My tough girl skills?" Emily joked, trying to ignore the fact he had called her 'pretty' so her soon to be blushing cheeks would not betray her.

"You know what I mean," he smirked in explanation.

With another ring of the doorbell and a chorus of "Trick or Treat" that followed, Derek made his way to the door while Emily excused herself to go to the restroom. However, just as Derek turned the corner toward the doorway, Emily turned the light on and closed the door of the restroom from the outside. But rather than go in herself, she slipped quietly into the kitchen with a devious plan to get back at her partner for scaring her earlier. She found Reid's mask in Derek's bag where she knew he had placed it, put it on and tiptoed back into the living room. She heard Derek telling the trick-or-treaters goodbye and rushed to crouch down behind the couch. Prentiss faced intense situations nearly every day in her line of work, nevertheless her heart still pounded with an excited nervousness as she prayed her plan would work.

Suddenly, she heard his heavy footsteps coming closer and closer and she readied herself for the attack. However, the startling ringing of Derek's cell phone interrupted her plan. Out of her hiding spot, she could see him reach for his phone and put the device to his ear. "Hey Eric," he said enthusiastically. "What's up?"

Although Emily couldn't make out the conversation on the other end of the line, she could fairly well deduce what was being said. "No man, I know I haven't been hitting the clubs lately. It's just been pretty busy at work you know," Derek tried to lie. Emily knew that wasn't true. Sure they had had a few cases here and there but most of their work lately had been consulting. They all had been home before six o'clock in the past weeks.

Emily thought back to Derek's workload and realized that he had in fact been busy, not with work but with her. If the team wasn't out to dinner or a movie, the two partners were at least. The more they had worked together, the more Emily realized just how much time she had enjoyed spending with her partner, not just in the office.

She turned her attention back to the conversation. "Sorry, I can't be your wing man tonight. Yeah, maybe some other time I guess," he added nonchalantly. "Oh don't worry about me. I made plans with my partner," he was cut off. "_Yes_, the pretty one," he rolled his eyes with a grin after an obvious interruption. "Thanks for the offer but trust me, I'm good. I'm not missing out on the clubs. I'd really just rather be here. I'll have plenty of fun tonight," he smiled, thinking back to how he really was changing after all. Emily told herself not to read too much into Derek's comments, but she was thankful the mask that covered her smiling face due to her flattered feeling within.

Goodbyes were exchanged and Derek sat back down on the couch. He looked towards the television and then turned back towards the closed bathroom door. It had been a while since Emily had excused herself and his usual protective side took over. "Emily?" he called out, head turned in the opposite direction as she crawled out quietly, placing her masked face beside his.

When she didn't answer, Derek turned his head back, unprepared and unawares of Emily's prank. The moment he saw the mask before him, he jumped back with a gasp. Prentiss couldn't help but double over in laughter after removing the mask as Derek attempted to recover from the fright. "Okay Princess, you win."

"And balance is finally restored," Emily grinned as she sat down beside her partner. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, yeah," Derek grinned, knowing he deserved it. "Can we just create a standing truce that we will _never _scare each other again? You know I hate Halloween."

"You know I do too. Deal. And I'm pretty sure we've both had enough scares for one day. Especially you almost getting shot," she nodded.

"Yes, I think I'm set on my amount of scares for every Halloween for the rest of my life. But on the flip side, I get to spend it with you and that certainly makes it better."

"Really?" she smiled gratefully.

"Well, I guess if I couldn't have my Halloween Honey then…" he began chuckling as he raised his hands, only to deserve a sharp slap on the shoulder by a laughing Emily.

They continued handing out the candy, talking and laughing while the movie played through the night. Derek may have joked about his supposed 'Halloween Honey' but in reality, there was nothing he enjoyed more than spending time with his partner: his partner who was quickly becoming his best friend, but eventually something even more. And she felt the same way. As they both thought of all the things they could be doing at that very moment, they each knew that there was nowhere they would rather be. It was that, the thought of changing, of opening themselves up so freely, _that _scared them more than anything the night of Halloween might bring.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Don't forget to leave a comment!**


	5. Girls vs Boys 3x08

**Thank you everyone who has read, liked and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me!**

**If you have ANY suggestions or requests for a chapter from a particular episode please don't hesitate to ask! I'm always looking for ideas from the many episodes of CM.**

**I LOVE reviews as they are SO helpful so please click that little button and review and I'll write faster! Hope you enjoy!**

"Girls vs. Boys"

3x08 – Children of the Dark

"_**We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.**__** "**_

_**Ralph Waldo Emerson**_

It was about 5:00pm and it had been a long and tiring day but the BAU had finally caught their UnSub – this time, both of them. However, while the rest of the team was relieved, Emily was fuming with anger. Rarely had she been so furious with the politics of her job before. She hated that through protocol in the name of justice, the lives of children were forgotten. Derek had just informed her that the children they were looking after had to go back to their foster home – if one could even call it a home. Emily knew it was a miserable place unfit for children.

She looked longingly into the Government Issue SUV at the young boy and girl she had become so attached to in such a short amount of time. They were sitting contentedly in the back, both unaware that they would have to go back to the place they could never really call home; a place they despised. She would do anything to see that these kids didn't have to go back to such a horrible environment. She was lost in thought when she felt a gentle hand touch the back of her shoulder and a familiar voice call her name softly.

"Emily," Derek repeated. "You know we are going to have to take them back _eventually_." He said as she turned to meet his gaze. He could see the trace of tears welling in her eyes, a rare occurrence that almost startled him – Prentiss was rarely one to be affected by their job. But like him, she always had a special connection to the children they interacted with on cases like these. He didn't know the reason, but it was one of the things he loved most about his partner.

"It's not fair Morgan. You should have seen that woman! She had a padlock on the fridge and carried the key around on her neck. The woman wouldn't even let Tyler have a glass of milk unless it was mealtime! She and her husband don't care about these kids – they only care about the money they get from it. To them it's just a job." Emily had to stop and take a breath from her angry tirade. Morgan took this opportunity to try to calm her. He was just as upset as she was but he knew they had to follow protocol no matter how much it pained him.

"I know Em but Social Services _is _going to do an investigation. And we'll make sure they do it as fast as possible. You know I don't want them to go back as much as you do. But we just don't have a choice Princess" Derek told her in a soft and comforting tone as he brought his hand up to rest on her shoulder.

"I know." Emily began sadly but smiling half-heartedly, thankful that Morgan always tried to comfort her in times like these. "Come on then. Let's do what we have to" Emily finished dejectedly. She turned to get into the car but Morgan was too quick for her and opened the passenger door himself for her to climb in. He rarely did things like this because she was so independent but he knew how much the little things could always make a person feel better, so he was going to make every effort to make her happy despite the situation. She gave him another weak but thankful smile and he made his way to the driver's side.

"Agent Emily, do we have to go back there?" little Anna questioned apprehensively from the backseat. She had sensed something was off when the two agents who had taken such good care of her and her brother so cheerfully got in the car so quietly.

Derek and Emily shared a sad and knowing glance before Emily turned to face the children. "Social Services is going to begin an investigation into your foster home" she began, instantly recognizing the disappointment on Anna and Tyler's once hopeful faces. "But for now, I'm afraid we have to take you back."

"But we have to make one quick stop first if that's okay with the both of you" Derek abruptly stated.

"Okay," Anna exclaimed, certainly not eager to go back anytime soon. She missed the warmth and love of her parents when they were still alive but had resigned to her new life, however different and somber it was.

Emily looked at Derek with wide and questioning eyes. He simply looked back at her with a smile and a look that simply said, "Trust me." And for Emily, despite her confusion amidst her sadness, that was enough.

They drove for about 10 minutes but it seemed like only seconds as the whole car talked excitedly and with ease about everything they could think of while trying to forget where they eventually had to go. Derek told the kids stories of when he was their age and about how much trouble he would get into. They both smiled and laughed at his stories while Emily rolled her eyes, not at all surprised at Derek's crazy stories – adding playfully that they should take a lesson from Derek's stories about how _not _to behave in school.

Emily in turn told them about all of the places she had travelled and lived as a little girl because of her mother's job, eliciting a strong desire in Anna to become an Ambassador one day so she too could travel all she wanted and leave the foster system forever.

Morgan and Prentiss thought that perhaps they had gotten the kids' minds off of the fact that they had to go home, but they noticed Tyler would still glance out the window at the moving cars with a distant and gloomy look that reminded them they couldn't mask the truth for long.

A debate about mystery books was occurring, in which Derek and Tyler swore the Hardy Boys were the best but Anna and Emily were determined to change their minds by expressing their opinion that no one was better than Nancy Drew, when Morgan pulled into a parking lot off the main road. Emily and the children looked out the front window to see a large building with a sign indicating they were in fact at a pizza arcade.

"Is this where we're going?" Anna asked hopefully as she looked at Derek. Emily too looked at Derek with curious eyes, completely oblivious to his secret plans.

"Well you know I was just so hungry after all the craziness that's happened today that I thought it might be okay if we all grabbed a pizza for dinner together before we had to take you back. I mean… that is if you are hungry too?" Derek said as he turned to face Tyler and Anna.

"But… we don't have any money," Tyler began in a defeated tone.

Derek cut him off with a schoolboy grin, "Nonsense! It's my treat! Now Emily might be able to eat a whole pizza by herself but _I _sure can't! I've got to have someone to share it with!"

"Hey!" Emily said as she playfully slapped Derek on the arm as she caught onto his comment causing the children to lose their nervousness and laugh along with the agents.

Anna and Tyler's faces had instantly lit up with joy at such a special treat. They had parked and when they saw the two agents begin descending out of the SUV, they bounced out of the car as fast as they could. Anna couldn't contain her joy as she reached for Emily's hand to walk across the parking lot and into the restaurant. "We _never _go out to dinner. We don't evenget pizza!"

Emily couldn't help but smile at the young girl's excitement but she was beaming when she looked up at Derek. He never ceased to surprise her with his goodness towards her and towards others. But especially towards children – he had such a way with them that Emily couldn't help but feel proud that he was her partner. She couldn't wait to thank him for making the effort to make this easier on the kids but even more so, easier on her.

The group of four made their way inside and Derek instantly picked the booth closest to all of the arcade games. Emily slid in first with Anna by her side while Derek and Tyler sat opposite the girls. They again debated over the best kind of pizza, girls claiming one kind while the boys claimed another. But they finally decided to get both so everyone would be happy – and to settle the debate through a taste-testing contest.

Soon after, a sweet-looking elderly woman came over to their table to take their order. "Well what would this nice looking family like to have to eat today?" She queried with a smile.

Thought the kids were too caught up in their excitement, Derek and Emily both immediately noticed the family comment but decided to ignore it; not wanting to draw any further attention to the children's sad circumstances. Emily answered by ordering their drinks and pizzas with a cordial smile and the waitress went on her way to the kitchen after stating it would take about 20 minutes to have their order ready.

The table was about to begin talking excitedly but Emily reached for her wallet in her purse, "20 minutes should be just enough time to spend this wouldn't you say?" Emily asked as she handed Tyler and Anna equal amounts of money for the arcade.

The children's eyes went wide with shock at such generous and special treatment. Derek just smiled broadly at Emily, always amazed at her generosity. The children were hesitant to take the money at first but after much prodding from both agents, they finally went off to take a rare chance to simply act as normal kids in the arcade area.

Emily and Derek looked on, both not unaware of how they resembled parents at the moment. But they didn't seem to notice in their pride that even through their work of horror and bloodshed; they were still able to put smiles on these young faces. But both were dreading the necessary task that was approaching far too quickly for their liking. Emily was the first to break the silence, "What's going to happen to them?"

"I really don't know Em." Derek answered truthfully. "All we can do is hope that Social Services does their job and puts these kids with a real family who actually cares about them. But even if we have to go back to D.C. that doesn't mean we can't still be a part of these kids lives." Emily looked at Derek expectantly; still unsure of where he was going with his statement but she allowed him to continue. "We can always keep in touch. Just because they don't get attention in that home doesn't mean we can give it to them. We can call them, write them or email them and find out how they are from time to time. We're not going to let them just walk out of our lives when we take them back to that awful place. After all, you're going to need to write Anna's reference letter when she applies to be an Ambassador" Derek added with a wink but serious smile.

Emily smiled at this, now more hopeful than she had been at the prospect that Anna and Tyler's lives might turn out all right. After all, now they had she and Derek to help ensure that happened. "I don't usually get so attached, it's unprofessional" Emily began, surprised at herself for only a second until the image of an adorable, blond-haired boy flashed into her memory, causing her to smile. She quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts to continue but Derek noticed her far off look.

"I do." Derek was quick to answer. "It's because you always want to fix the wrong done, because you're compassionate, because you love. You hate to see injustice in the world and that's why you're so good at what you do. It's why you're going to make a great mom one day." Emily scoffed at this but Derek looked at her with supportive eyes. "It's okay to care once in a while Em. It's _okay_ to be human."

Emily didn't know what to say – everything Derek was telling her was what she had always hoped for herself but still felt she could never attain. But he saw straight through her detached demeanor into her true self. She was always astounded at how well Derek Morgan knew her, sometimes even better than she knew herself. "Well I don't know about me but I know that everything you just described could be said about you. You have a way with kids, with all people. You make the ones around you feel good, and that is a very special gift."

The partners shared a look, words unspoken but plenty of meaning conveyed, as if they had been doing this for decades. Emily was the first to speak again as she reached to touch Derek's hand as it rested on the table, "Thank you for this, really. Thank you for making these kids feel better… for making _me _feel better" she stated meaningfully as she looked Derek in the eyes.

"Always" Derek stated, and he meant it with all of his heart.

Soon Anna and Tyler returned to the table full of smiles and laughter. The pizza arrived not very long after and they all devoured their food in between more girls versus boys debates and unending thank-yous from the kids for all the FBI agents had done for them. But when the food was gone and all the games had been played, they all knew what had to come next. Derek paid the bill and the mood of the makeshift, temporary family instantly changed from one of joy and delight to one of solemnity.

They all made their way to the car. Derek and Emily tried to lighten the mood with more stories but this time the children's smiles were hollow – each wishing they could have a family like this all the time and feeling a happy day like this might never come again.

Derek drove as slow as he dared, taking back roads all the way. But eventually he had to go to the house all his passengers despised, himself included. He cringed with anger as he saw the woman standing on the porch, looking more like a prison warden than a mother as the refrigerator key dangled about her neck just as Emily had said.

She was waiting for Tyler and Anna because Emily had reluctantly called her to tell her they were on their way, not at all surprised the woman had responded with no compassion or interest at all in the children's well being.

They parked and each agent shared a moment with the children before they grudgingly took them inside. Morgan and Prentiss returned to their car defeated and depressed. But as the sounds of gunshots rang out, a whirlwind of events occurred in a matter of tense and fearful seconds. But through it all, Emily, Derek, Tyler and Anna's prayers were answered.

After their interviews Derek sat with Tyler and Emily who held a still shaken Anna under the tree on the lawn. They all wanted to be as far away from the house as possible while they waited for Social Services to finish their investigation. A Social Services worker came up to them as the sun was finally setting behind the house and informed the children that charges would not be pressed and they would be moved to another home, together. Derek and Emily spoke concernedly with the woman, expressing their opinions that they would hear if Tyler or Anna were treated poorly in this new environment. But the woman assured them that she would personally see to it that they were placed in the best foster home in the system.

Goodbyes were then said once more, but this time, a dark cloud had been lifted off of the children and the agents. They each promised to keep contact with one another as they moved on to a new and better foster home. And after hugs and a few tears from all of them, they all went their separate ways.

Derek drove a now content Emily back to the police station. He was formulating what he would say to Hotch about their lateness when he looked over at his partner who was lost in deep thought with a smile on her face. She had taken a child in before, and she knew she had the means to do it again. Emily finally noticed Derek's stare and opened up to let him know that she was pondering a plan of her own for the young girl still left homeless because of this case.

Though Morgan was unsure Hotch would go for the idea, he told Emily that he supported her decision no matter what. "I think you'd be great for her Em, I really do. She'd be lucky to have someone like you. You have to do what you feel is right for you and you know I'll support you every step of the way. Always."

Emily thanked Derek, so grateful for someone like him that she could always count on – who knew her inside and out. So even when Hotch denied her request to adopt Carrie later that night, Emily had Derek's shoulders to lean on when they landed in D.C. So he took her back to her place and they watched movies together while making plans to visit Tyler and Anna someday soon... together.

Then, they may have just been close friends and partners but they both meant the world to the other one, creating a deep and special connection only these two BAU team members shared – only they didn't know it yet. But in time, they would understand just how deeply emotional their connection was and then, nothing would ever be the same.


	6. Home 3x15

_Hello lovelies! Thank you EVERYONE who read and reviewed the last chapter. Especially _criss128, Nix1978, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, jhplug, erica1021, AnnKa _and _animallvr4eva_. You all are seriously the BEST! _

_Here is some pure Derek and Emily fluff based on the episode when Derek told Emily about his properties. I definitely don't think that conversation ended there._

_I'm working on the next chapters and I promise my update will be sooner this time – I had a really rough weekend with work. But not to worry – I've got plans for MANY more chapters, my dears _

_So enjoy and don't forget to REVIEW! _

**Home**

**[3x15 – A Higher Power]**

"_There is a house built out of stone_

_Wooden floors, walls and windowsills_

_Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust_

_This is a place where I don't feel alone_

_This is a place where I feel at home_

_And I built a home_

_For you_

_For me"_

_-To Build a Home, The Cinematic Orchestra-_

"Remember, 3:00 Prentiss. Don't be late," Derek turned back and said as they walked through the parking deck on that late Friday night.

"Ummm, I am never late. _You_ on the other hand…" Emily began.

"Oh very funny…" Derek smirked at her incredibly true comment.

"But seriously, aren't you going to tell me where we're going?" Emily asked for at least the twentieth time.

"You'll find out _when we get there_." Derek said laughing.

"Fine," Emily said, still brooding as her mind worked overtime to figure out exactly what her partner had planned.

And of course, the next day, Emily was ready on time – in fact, she was ready early with anticipation of Morgan's surprise so she paced the floor of her apartment until he picked her up. And Morgan of course, was fifteen minutes late. "I'm so sorry," he began. "Traffic was a nightmare."

"It's okay! But I _was_ beginning to think you were going to stand me up." Emily joked.

"Never," Derek said with a wink. "I'll _always _come through for you Princess." He added seriously. Emily gave him a grateful smile and they rode along under the cloudy, grey sky to the mystery location.

They pulled into an old but distinguished looking neighborhood that Emily had never been to before. She was still confused but remained silent, trusting Morgan completely. They passed a few side streets until they finally turned onto one and continued driving. As they approached the end of the street, Emily looked up to see a beautiful, Charleston style home sitting in the center of the cul-de-sac. It wasn't lit up like the rest of the houses but still stood tall and beautiful amongst them. It was yellow with black shutters and a huge wrap-around porch. There were full-grown oaks surrounding the house – and the one in the front yard even had a tree swing. Ivy had grown up along the porch columns and up the sides of the house, making it look like a house out of a magical children's story.

Derek pulled into the driveway and turned to Emily as he began to speak, "Well, here it is. My latest project."

"It's beautiful," Emily said truthfully.

"Yes, it _is _beautiful." Derek replied, looking her straight in the eyes. "But it needs a lot of work. I've fixed up most of the outside but it needs a lot of attention on the inside."

They alighted from his SUV and began to walk up the steps onto the wide, two-story front porch. "The previous owners were mixed up in some sort of international crime ring – seriously, it's like I can't get away from criminals," he laughed, "Anyway… so apparently they secretly left the country and left this place to rot. Eventually it became run-down so I bought it for a steal to fix up and sell again."

Emily smiled at him, "I think it's going to be wonderful when you finish it. I love the peaceful setting, the porch, the architecture but more than anything, I absolutely _love _cul-de-sacs."

"Somehow I just knew you did," Derek winked, remembering a comment Emily had made about the very same thing on a case when they visited a family who lived in a lovely house on a cul-de-sac. "So, this is the big surprise. I knew you said that you wanted to see my properties after I told you about them. So how would you like to help me work on the inside? I promise it helps after a long, stressful case… And, I'll even throw in your favorite Chinese dinner." Derek smiled.

"Well you had me sold with just working on it with you but since you offered me dinner, I am not turning it down." Emily replied laughingly. She was truly thrilled that Derek had brought her here. In all honesty, she had no idea how to renovate a house – she had never done anything like this - but spending time with her partner, who was quickly becoming one of her closest friends, was all she really wanted to do. "But no matter what, I _will _take a turn on that tree swing at some point." Emily said pointing into the yard.

"Of course, Princess." Derek smiled. "But first, you have to see the inside." He said as he escorted her through the large front door. And just as she had said, the house was beautiful. He took her on the whole tour: the cozy living room complete with bay windows and a fireplace, the massive kitchen, up the grand staircase and into the master bedroom with an adjoining sitting room opening to a back, second story covered porch overlooking the back yard – Emily instantly thought it would be a perfect place to waste dozens of hours with a cup of coffee, a book and a snuggie.

They made their way through the other bedrooms, the office and the rest of the house until they finally ended up back in the foyer. "So what are we working on today?" Emily asked impatiently.

"I have two projects we can work on. First, we need to paint the entry way and fix the staircase. Or we can start with tearing down the wall connecting the kitchen and dining room. What do you want to do first?

"Is that even a question?" Emily said. "Definitely the wall."

"Definitely," Morgan agreed with a chuckle. He led her to the wall, his tools awaiting them. He gave her gloves, protective goggles and finally, a sledgehammer that she seemed far too excited to get her hands on. "Is this really a good idea?" he remarked sarcastically.

"Excuse me Agent Morgan," Emily retorted with equal sarcasm as she placed her hand on her hip. "You trust me to run around with you carrying a gun but _this _scares you!?" The two partners laughed and began to work.

Derek first told Emily where to aim the hammer's head but after a few close calls with his hand, he decided to show her rather than simply point and possibly have to take a trip to the emergency room. He made his way behind her, reaching his arms around her and placing his hands over her own – both of them ignoring the shockwave they both felt from the other's touch. "Okay," he began. "Now, think of all of the stress, all of the hatred you feel towards the UnSubs we go after. You're making something better – something they can't, something they _refuse_ to do. I always like to think I'm doing it for the victim we couldn't save or even for the one we could. Take a deep breath. And never take your eyes off of where you want to hit. Are you ready?" he asked, gently tightening his grip on her hands.

Emily's mind was not on a recent case but on the one that had come to define her own life. She thought of Doyle's heartlessness, she thought of how sometimes when she felt like everything was finally falling into place in her life, he would appear again in her nightmares – breaking down all the barriers she had built. But then she thought of Declan, and the good she had been able to bring to his life – realizing he was just like the houses Derek worked on – realizing just how similar she was to her partner, and appreciating him even more. So now, she was ready to swing. She took a deep breath, "Ready," she said, as she exhaled.

With Derek's lead, they pulled their arms upwards in a perfect, simultaneous motion, and swung down at the wall as hard as they could, breaking through the barriers of the wall, and also, some of their own. This time, Derek stepped away to let Emily do it on her own – leaving them both feeling rather cold - but she did it again, perfectly.

"That was great, Em. Just like a pro." Morgan said with pride as he looked on.

"You were right, it does feel good." Emily admitted, her worries melting away with every hit – but she wondered if it was because of the work she was doing or who she was doing it with.

They worked hard for two hours, removing the wall together. They talked and laughed the whole time and Emily realized she hadn't smiled that much in what felt like years. And this was exactly what she needed. They cleaned the debris of the demolished wall and were both ready to keep working.

"What can we do next?" Emily asked excitedly, surprised at how much fun she was having uncharacteristically doing manually labor.

"Well, would you like to prime this hallway while I finish fixing the staircase railing?" Derek pointed up the staircase in the entryway.

"You mean I don't get to tear down another wall? What a let down!" she joked.

"Maybe next time Princess," Derek smiled.

"I will hold you to that promise. But sure! Just show me the primer and the brushes and put me to work!"

So they began to work. Emily stood on the steps of the stairs priming the wall above where Derek was fixing the banister. And they talked more – joking as they flicked paint on each other, laughing, and talking about all of their favorite things – they were learning more and more about each other with moments like these. So the more time they spent with each other, the more they found themselves wanting_ more _time like this – more time together.

"Almost done," Derek announced prompting Emily to turn around, about to tell him she had already finished when her back brushed against one of the last posts in the railing that held an exposed nail. It ripped her shirt and scratched her skin, eliciting a tiny "Ouch!" to escape Emily's mouth.

Derek jumped into action, instantly at her side asking her if she was alright as he placed a soothing hand to her now slightly exposed, scratched back. "I'm okay, it just startled me. It didn't really hurt. I'm fine," Emily assured a worried looking Morgan. "I can't say the same for my shirt though." She added, holding up the ripped fabric.

"Well, I'm pretty sure it was long gone before that," Derek smiled pointing to the multiple paint splatters on her shirt.

"Very funny," she replied, but still looking down at her ruined shirt.

"Hey, I know!" Derek said as an idea popped into his head and he ran outside under the thunderclouds to his car. Emily followed him as far as the porch. He was back in front of her almost instantly, a bundle of gray fabric in his hands. "Here," he said as he held up one of his FBI training t-shirts from his go-bag. "You can wear this if you want."

"This is perfect," Emily exclaimed. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Derek replied.

Emily went to change into the shirt that was two sizes too big. But she didn't care because it was much better than her ripped one, and also smelled absolutely intoxicating. When she returned, Derek was cleaning up the tools in the entryway. "I think we can call it quits for the day." Even though Emily agreed they had done quite enough work for the evening, she wasn't exactly ready to leave the house – or Morgan for that matter - even though she would never admit it. "But the Chinese food will be here in 15 minutes." Derek said, practically reading her mind.

"Then that gives me just enough time to try out that tree swing," Emily said cheerfully.

The two made their way outside to the front yard and Emily mounted the swing while Derek leaned against the old tree. She was high in the air when he began to speak, "So when did tough, no-nonsense Emily Prentiss become such a swing master?" Derek asked.

"I have always loved swinging. We had a tree swing just like this at my grandfather's house in France, out by the lake. I used to play on it for hours – just swinging or reading or singing, terribly I might add. I never really got to play much as a child, but when I was out there, I felt like the world just stopped. Everything was so peaceful.. I didn't have a care in the world. I guess it was just being alone with my thoughts - it was really one of my only escapes other than books. That was when I actually felt like a kid. What about you?" Emily asked.

"Well, for me, football was always my escape I guess. I was really angry about my father's death as a kid – football was a way for me to channel that anger into something productive rather than destructive. It was the one thing that was absolutely mine when I was a kid, and it never really left me – it got me through college."

"You always think childhood should be this wonderful time in your life – a time when you have not a care in the world but every kid needs an escape. Childhood is a difficult thing." Emily added softly.

"But it helps make us the people we are today." Derek said with a smile that Emily returned whole-heartedly.

They stayed like that for at least ten minutes, still talking about their childhoods – learning more and more about each other, not realizing the clouds above their heads had become black as night. To their surprise, thunder began to shake the ground and lightning began to illuminate the landscape. But before they could even register the sudden change in the weather, a downpour of rain fell from the sky, soaking their bodies. Emily suddenly jumped from the swing, Derek reaching out to make sure she had found her balance and they ran through the rain onto the porch – laughing all the way.

As they attempted to shake off the rain droplets from their body, a car pulled into the driveway and a teenager jumped out of the still running car, running towards the porch holding their dinner. "Just in time," Derek said, reaching for his wallet.

"Oh, I'll go get my wallet." Emily said as she put out her hand.

"No way. This was my treat remember?" Derek smiled as he paid for the food and tipped the boy who ran back to his car.

"Thank you," Emily said genuinely.

Derek and Emily made their way to the porch swing and began to eat their dinner, the thunderstorm playing as the soundtrack to their conversation – never running out of interesting topics to discuss together. The rain was still coming down hard and they were protected by the porch, but not from the chill. Emily shivered once, pulling her legs up in front of her to block the cold. "You are _not _getting this shirt back," she said. "It's too comfy."

But her chill did not go unnoticed. Derek went to grab an old blanket he had planned to use to protect some of the hardwood flooring as he drilled above it, but to him, this was a much more important need. He handed her the blanket that she wrapped around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said, snuggling tight into the fabric. "For all of this. It was wonderful, really. I see why you do it now."

"Thank you for coming. I've always worked on these projects alone but it's finally nice to share it with someone."

"You mean you don't bring all of the ladies here?" Emily mocked.

"No," Derek replied seriously. "You're the only one."

"Oh," Emily said, shocked and flattered Derek would share something so personal with her.

"You're the only one who understands… who understands _why _I feel like I need to do this. I mean Garcia would never get her hands dirty. And can you imagine Reid trying to tear down a wall?" They both laughed at the image that appeared in their minds. "But I know how these cases affect you – the way they affect me. So I knew I could trust you with this." Derek said sincerely as he looked into her eyes. "I knew you would understand why I love doing this. I can do something to make the world better even when I'm not doing my job. I can find a nice but struggling family who needs a home and I can give them that fresh start that they need."

"You really are a good guy, Derek. The family who gets this house will be luckier than they know. Thank you, really. Thank you for letting me share it with you." Emily replied.

"So does that mean you want to do it again?" Derek asked with a grin.

"You tell me the day and I'll be here." Emily smiled. "As long as there is a wall to demolish, that is." She added with a wink.

And she did do it again – all the time. Derek had let her into one of the most personal parts of his life but he didn't mind. He was happy he could finally share this with someone who understood – who understood him and why he had to do it. Emily found her own outlet in the projects – time with one of her now closest friends and a way to forget the horrors they saw on a daily basis.

Months later, Derek sold the house below asking price to a single mother and her three children who's father had died in the military. Emily teared up at the sadness of their last time there but also at the happiness she felt in being able to bring joy to this family. But Derek insisted she help him pick out the next house and the cycle continued. But most importantly, their relationship grew stronger with every moment they spent together.

"_Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go."_

― _Sarah Dessen, __What Happened to Goodbye_

**Hope you all enjoyed this one! Let me know by leaving a comment below! **


	7. Hug 4x03

So I watched "Minimal Loss" a few nights ago and this popped into my head so naturally, I had to share it will you all.

I'll admit that it's mostly rambles so sorry if it sucks.

It's not a particular scene from the episode but rather a variety of scenes throughout to help fill in the gaps.

_I hope you enjoy and PLEASE don't forget to review. A special thank-you shout out to jhplug, Nancy, erica1021, zackgibra, and the guests who reviewed the last chapter – you all help me keep writing so THANK YOU!_

Again, I do not own Criminal Minds because if I did,

there would be no need for Demily fanfiction…

**Hug**

**"Minimal Loss" – 4x03**

"_Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you. " _

_~Jacques Prévert~_

* * *

She hadn't hugged him after the explosion… even though she desperately wanted to. But she knew that if she did, she might never let him go.

So she waited until they were alone to hold him, to apologize, to thank him for saving her, as he always did and as he always would –

and _now_, she didn't mind one bit.

* * *

Everything had been going extremely well. Derek picked Emily up early and they got their morning coffee, as they usually did two or three times a week, and they went on their way to the FBI building to train before they went on to work. Both of the agents had to finish some paperwork before they were scheduled to go to Colorado together on a case.

So they trained hard as they did every week. They talked, joked and laughed – simply enjoying the presence of the other. But during hand-to-hand combat practice, the tides turned unexpectedly. Prentiss became very frustrated with Morgan when she felt he was being too easy on her. At first he insisted that he wasn't but the harder she pushed, the more honest he became. Their disagreement escalated when Prentiss insinuated that Morgan didn't think she was as prepared for the field as he was and insisted he treat her equally. But Morgan only backfired with the argument that she needed protection and that was what he was going to do as her partner. She exploded with the thought he didn't trust her and demanded that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. At that, Prentiss stormed off the training mat and Morgan could only call after her – but she wouldn't answer.

The morning passed with tension so thick everyone in the bullpen recognized that the two agents, who were usually the closest of them all, could barely even stand to look at one another. They sat as far away as they could in the round table room, intentionally waited for the other to leave the kitchen just to refill their coffee, and would consult with _other _agents on their case files rather than one another. Derek wasn't used to fighting with Prentiss - Reid, sometimes… Hotch, _always_… but neverPrentiss. Yet she was independent and he was a protector – a combination that would always create a battleground in their relationship.

He wanted to fix it, to make his world go back to normal but Emily wouldn't even look at him. So Derek went to the woman he always knew could help him straighten out an issue: Penelope Garcia. She welcomed her "Chocolate Thunder Divine" into her lair and he poured his heart out to her. Garcia listened intently, holding her tongue with her opinion that her two favorite agents should settle their love spat the old-fashioned way: by kissing and making up; and rather, told Derek what he already knew but always needed to be reminded of. She explained that Emily was about as stubborn and independent as they come, and her trust level was about as low as they come. So he needed to acknowledge Emily's abilities by showing that he did trust her in the field and she would trust him in return – but there was nothing wrong with protecting her.

Morgan left his "Baby Girl" on a mission to apologize to Emily, with the hope that they could start again in time for their case to Colorado. But as he approached the bullpen, he saw that Emily was coming down from Hotch's office with Reid in-tow. She approached him and began to speak, "Hey, I know things have been difficult this morning. Maybe we just need some time, you know?"

Derek was about to protest but Emily continued. "Even Hotch noticed our… well, unpleasantness this morning and he's decided it would be better if Reid and I take the trip to Colorado instead."

Derek stood looking at his partner completely dumb-founded. He had come with the sole purpose of making things right but here she came with just another glitch in the plan. "Emily, we can't keep doing this. We've got to work this out. You're my partner, we're going to disagree but you're also my friend and I hate the thought of us fighting. It's like the world is spinning backwards or something. I just need us to be okay. Just tell me what to do," Derek pleaded.

"Hey, it happens. Like I said, maybe we just need some time and it will all work itself out when it's supposed to." Emily replied in a professional manner even though it killed her.

She hated fighting with Morgan more than anything. But his treatment of her this morning had thrown her over the edge. There were still days when she felt she had to prove herself as a member of the team and if Morgan always had to be there to protect her, as much as she relished in the thought that he cared that much, she felt inadequate; and her stubborn pride got in the way of her common sense.

Completely defeated, Derek simply nodded and mumbled an almost incoherent "Okay."

"We'll be back before you know it, and maybe we can talk or something." Emily replied, and with that she walked towards her desk to grab her things.

The rest of the morning, Derek simply moped at his desk. He was trying to figure out how he would make things right when Emily returned but all he could do was think of how it could go wrong. He was lost in thoughts of his raven-haired partner when JJ rushed to turn his attention to the TV on the wall. As he finally understood the dire situation unfolding in Colorado, his heart dropped as his first thought was losing Prentiss, and never being able to make things right between them again. His fear, anger and most of all his guilt boiled over as he yelled for Hotch to take a look at the TV screen.

Within less than 5 minutes the team was on their way to Colorado to save their agents. Derek had been in a whirlwind rush to get out to the jet in time. But not before Penelope Garcia had pranced out to his desk in her teal blue pumps:

"Derek Morgan," she began in an authoritative voice to attempt to calm him down. "You listen to me. They are going to be just fine because _you_ and the rest of my beautiful agents are going to bring them home safely. And you and my-lady Miss Prentiss will never even remember what you were fighting about this morning. Okay, my sweet Hershey's kiss?"

Though Derek wasn't so sure it would go that smoothly, he promised Garcia he would bring the whole team home and kissed her on the cheek as he dashed off to catch the plane.

The team arrived and the hours passed as the situation heightened. Derek could barely contain his joy when he found out Emily was still alive in the compound. At that, he swore to himself he would bring her out of there alive so he could apologize profusely.

But his heart crumbled when he thought he might never get that chance as he heard Prentiss tell Cyrus her true identity and his heart began pounding as he thought of what might happen to her. Each of the screams and moans that came from her as Cyrus beat her were like a knife straight to his heart. It should have been him in there. He would never have let this happen if everything had gone as planned with this case and _he _was in there to protect her.

Derek was livid with Hotch for not letting them go in right then and there. He listened as long as his heart could take it, but he had to stop before it killed him. Because he knew, had they not fought – had he not said what he said – it would be he and Emily in there. And he would have taken that beating ten times over if it meant she could stay safe.

So he had volunteered to try to make contact. He just wanted to hear her voice, to know she was still alive, to know he still had a chance to mend their partnership. When saw her foot in the window and heard her voice in his ear, he felt like his heart finally started beating again – he had another chance. So he willed her to hold on – for him – so he could make things right.

Derek had never felt so anxious in his life. They were finally going in to rescue their team and the families still trapped – but for Derek, it meant Emily would finally be safe again. He barreled through the doors of the compound, focused on the task at hand but visions of Emily still floated in the back of his mind.

And as he turned the corner, suddenly he could barely breathe. He saw her coming down the steps – bruised, beaten but above all, breathing. He rushed forward as he reached out to touch her, to ensure he wasn't hallucinating. But he felt her as he called her name to ask if she was all right. She responded by telling him about the explosives still in the building. He knew they had no time to waste as the women and children followed her to the exit but he didn't leave her side. He insisted she get out for her own safety but always stubborn and selfish, she wanted to get Reid out too.

Derek looked into her pleading eyes and promised her he would do just that, but he would not let her die in this place. He touched her once more as he looked at Rossi to take care of her and then glanced at his partner one more time. But screaming from behind him cut him off and he and Prentiss, always in sync, rushed into action. Derek yelled at Rossi to get the woman out of the building – but it was Prentiss he really meant for Rossi to keep safe.

He ran up to the chapel to find Reid and take care of the situation but as he saw the young girl's eyes and the box she held in her hands, he saw his life flash before his eyes. He rushed for cover, praying to see another day… praying to see Emily again.

As the smoke cleared, Emily looked frantically at the sight, willing Morgan and Reid to be alive as she called their names. Suddenly, two figures emerged from the rubble, and her heart caught in her throat. She rushed to hug Reid in an effort to reassure herself they had indeed made it out alive. And Emily looked over his shoulder to see her partner, her protector and her savior from this nightmare.

But she didn't hug Derek after the explosion… even though she desperately wanted to. But she knew that if she did, she might never let him go. So she chose to wait until they were alone to hold him, to apologize, to thank him for saving her, as he always did and as he always would – and _now_, she didn't mind one bit.

Derek went with Reid and Emily to the hospital, making sure they were both all right – more so Emily than anyone. Reid was one of his closest friends and of course he cared about him, but he knew what Prentiss had gone through. He had heard Cyrus beat her with absolutely no mercy and he couldn't do anything to stop her whimpers through it all, even if she was trying to protect others. Sometimes he hated that about her because it was what always got her injured, but her selflessness was also one of the things Derek Morgan loved most about his partner, and he was just thankful he had her here alive.

The team arrived at the airport a short while later, all ready to get some much-needed rest after this case. Derek attempted to stay with Emily the entire time, tending to her every need, but he realized she needed some time with Reid because of what they had gone through together. So he sat as close as he could, guilt brewing in his mind for what had passed between them the last time they were together – and he knew he wouldn't sleep until he made it right.

The plane landed and everyone made his or her way to exit. Derek followed close behind Emily, grabbing her bag for her. She stopped to look at him, "Derek, I'm fine. I can carry it."

"Prentiss you're injured and I'm not letting you hurt yourself anymore. Don't you think you've been through enough?" Derek countered. Emily couldn't argue with that and offered a small smile of thanks. "Look, next time I'm injured, you can carry my bag," he laughed. "Come on," he continued. "I'm your ride home."

Then Prentiss remembered he had driven her to the BAU and nerves began welling up in her stomach. They walked towards the car and Derek opened her door for her before setting their things in the back.

They drove in silence to Prentiss' place, both looking for the right words to say to fix whatever it was they shared. They arrived and Emily didn't argue as Derek brought her things upstairs. She let them both in and Morgan moved to set her things in the living room while Emily shut the door.

It was now or never, he thought. "Emily…" he began as he turned around to face her. But as he did, he saw her bounding towards him as she met his gaze with pleading eyes. She threw her arms around him and nuzzled her face into his neck, inhaling his familiar and comforting scent.

"Derek," she started through soft sniffs. His neck was wet from her tears. "I didn't mean for us to fight. I was wrong and stupid and stubborn and I wasn't fair to you at all. I'm so sorry."

His arms had wrapped around her and he only squeezed them tighter as she spoke, thanking Heaven she was alive. "Oh Emily no. I was wrong. Look I trust you… probably more than anyone. I trust you with my life. But I just want to keep you safe. It's my job - you're my partner – I can't lose you." He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "When I heard Cyrus hurting you…" his voice broke as he continued. "Emily I couldn't stand it. I didn't know what I'd do if I lost you… especially before I could apologize."

"You don't need to apologize. I overreacted."

"No Em…"

She smiled as she cut him off. "Look, we were both wrong. We'll work on it, but we won't let it affect our work again. Deal?"

"Deal." Derek responded with a smile. They both moved on, because their fight the previous morning seemed trivial in comparison to the fear of losing one another. It was then the two agents realized how long they had been holding one another, and simultaneously allowed their hands to drop and took a quick step back in a moment of awkwardness and embarrassment. Nevertheless, they immediately longed for the warmth of the other they had both shared – but they pushed those thoughts out of their mind, trying to convince themselves that friends were all they could ever be – and that was true, for now.

So afternoon turned into night but Derek and Emily remained together, as the closest of friends – both merely thankful for the other while their silly dispute was long forgotten. So they played nerdy board games, cooked dinner together, watched movies and finally, fell asleep. Derek stayed on Emily's couch to make sure her wounds were healing, even driving her to the doctor for her follow-up appointment the next day. But she didn't argue – she secretly didn't want him to leave at all. Though she was still independent, she had finally come to understand just how lucky she was to have Derek Morgan there to have her back no matter what. And he knew he was just lucky to have her at all.


	8. Water Games 4x04

_Hello dearests! So I know, I deserve to be drawn and quartered for leaving so much time between this update and I really hope that the upcoming holiday will allow me to finish the last few chapters I am working on for this story. I honestly think I'm just in denial that I'm close to finishing it… _

_So, without further ado, here is a little addition to "Paradise" – also known as the episode with the hot tub comment. I had this idea and just had to write it. It's pure fluff but who doesn't love a little Demily love!?_

_Of course, I have to thank all of you incredibly, amazingly supportive reviewers! So THNAK YOU _dannyanne, Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, and all the Guests.

_And ESPECIALLY the people who I can ALWAYS count on to be there for me as I write this story or just want to talk endlessly about this precious couple: criss128, jhplug, Nix1978 and AnnKa. You all are seriously the BEST!_

_Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a review._

_I'm off to write more for you, really :D  
_

* * *

**Water Games**

**[4x04 – Paradise]**

"**Love is like water; We can fall in it. We can drown in it. And we can't live with out it." –Unknown-**

"Oh no," Emily mumbled despondently under her breath as she looked down at the faucet. For the past few minutes, Emily had been trying to get her jacuzzi tub to work but to no avail. Turning the knobs was producing a hollow, struggling sound but no water.

She was anxious to forget the past BAU case and waste hours in the tub with her new book and a very large glass of wine. However, she began to think that in true form to the rest of her life, this was not going to go as planned.

She looked around, crawling around the freestanding contraption to see if there was a disconnect somewhere. But all she found was a small water pipe that was producing sizeable drops of water on the tile floor ever so slowly. "Great," she muttered sarcastically.

Emily dropped to her knees; first investigating the long pipe and moving to its connection to the wall where the water was leaking. She attempted to push the pipe farther in while turning it to seemingly screw it in tighter, but the result was only more water leaking out of the hole, and this time, it was leaking so quickly that if it continued for much longer, it might flood the entire apartment.

She ran to check the other bathroom's water supply and also the kitchen sink, but only received the same screeching sound leaving her feeling ever so depressed that she had no water.

Her landlady was out of town but she knew that even if the old woman were here, she would be no help at all with a matter like this. It was still early in the evening so Emily stood and reached for her cell phone. She hit the speed dial and called the one person she knew that might just be able to fix her problem.

"Hello?" the voice of her partner Derek Morgan answered on the other end of the line.

"Morgan? Hey," she began.

"Hey Prentiss. What are you up to? Enjoying that hot tub without me?" he asked with a chuckle in mock self-pity.

"Well actually, that's what I was calling you about," Emily began shyly. "It's not working. None of my faucets are and I have no water and all I want to do is take a shower but I think the waterline has a leak in it," Emily took only a millisecond to gasp for air as she continued her now frantic speech. "And I _may _have made the problem worse messing with it because now the water is leaking so fast that I'm really considering starting to build an ark just in case I flood the city."

"Woah, woah slow down Princess!" Derek cut her off with a chuckle. "I'm on my way. Don't start gathering the animals two by two yet!"

"Oh I didn't mean you had to come over. I'm sure you're really busy. I'm sorry I just thought you would know what to do," Emily immediately responded, suddenly feeling guilty because of a nagging, but completely wrong, suspicion that Morgan would have a number of other things he would rather do than fix her problems.

"Don't be silly. I'll be there before you know it. And of course you wanted me to come over. Don't think I don't realize this is just a clever way for you party in that hot tub with me," she could hear the smirk in his voice as they both remembered her comment from earlier.

"Buddy if you can fix this, you can _live_ in my hot tub for all I care."

"As long as you're there." The words slipped out of his mouth but he caught himself quickly. "I'll be there soon." And with that, they both hung up the phone, Emily still squinting her blushing face in deep thought at her partner's comment. Sure they flirted occasionally, she thought. Well, they flirted _a lot_ actually. Emily always guarded her mind and her heart when it came to men but Derek Morgan could break through every single one of her defenses with just a look at her and she could never really understand why.

Although they had been growing close as partners, outside of work they were seeing more and more of each other. Through training workouts, fixing up houses or even just dinner and a movie, they were becoming much more than partners, they were becoming best friends. And the case before this one with Cyrus was when they both realized just how close they could have come to losing a member of their team, to losing each other. It was when they both realized how much they needed each other as partners, and deep down, maybe as something more.

For Emily, he could listen and understand. He knew her like no one else did even if he didn't know her deepest secrets. Derek could fix her problems without even knowing what they were. And she didn't know it, but she was his own special medicine when cases became too much to handle or hit too close to home. He just had to look at her, talk to her, be near her and his work was set right again.

Emily tried to get her mind off of the uncomfortable subject and busied herself with quickly putting away the clothes she had stripped off onto the floor when she thought she wouldn't have company.

Not even twenty minutes later, Emily quickly moved to the doorway to greet her partner after hearing a knock at her door. "I owe you big time," she said as she opened the door with a smile.

"Nonsense. What are friends for?" Derek smiled as he made his way through the door with his bag in hand. Though he didn't tell her, he really couldn't think of anywhere he would rather be. Her phone call had actually saved him from a blind date a friend had set him up on. A friend he played baseball with insisted he take this girl out but Derek didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't interested. He wasn't even sure why he wasn't until this moment. He realized that when he was with Emily he didn't have to pretend, he could just be himself and that was enough. And she knew him better than anyone. So when they were together, they were both at their happiest state.

Emily only smiled with gratefulness as she followed her partner to the back of the apartment. "Alright Princess, show me what I need to fix so I can party in this hot tub." Derek turned to her as they maneuvered through her bedroom and into the master bathroom.

Emily had placed towels around the leaking pipe and Derek walked over to the wet area. He got down on his knees while Emily stood behind him hoping to somehow be of help. Morgan bent down to inspect the pipe and Emily had to catch herself as she admired his perfectly toned arm muscles flexing with every movement. Before her face could turn _too _pink, she was pulled out of her thoughts by his words. "Well it looks like the pipe to your hot water heater in the wall got disconnected somehow."

"I have someone come clean once a week and she came while we were gone."

"That must have been it," Derek agreed. "But it's okay. This should be fairly easy to fix, for now. But your lines are pretty rusted and will have to be replaced eventually."

"Yeah, this whole building is falling apart. Mrs. Stewart is such a nice woman but this is getting to be too much for her to handle. I've been thinking of trying to find a place closer to work anyway."

"Well maybe we can go look sometime. Let's get this fixed up first and we'll have you showered in no time so you won't stink anymore."

"Hey!" Emily laughed as she playfully pushed her partner.

"I'm just kidding," he chuckled. "But how about you use those efforts to help me hold this pipe while I fasten the line?"

"Sure," she smiled as she bent down next to him.

"Hold this up while I reattach the pipe," he showed her. Both partners were side-by-side, arms touching in the tight space. Derek began to secure the line but had to reach around Emily to keep the waterline from detaching completely. Unfortunately, he was only seconds too late.

Immediately, water began spewing out of the line like a fountain. Before they could even react, Emily and Derek were soaked from head to toe. Squealing ensued from Emily as only curses came from Derek's mouth as they both tried to stop up the now gaping hole in the pipe. This was the only incentive he needed to motivate him to fix the problem as fast as he could. So Derek was finally able to secure the pipe back as he struggled to see through the thick wall of water droplets accosting his face.

He fell with is back against the wall as he exhaled exhaustedly. Emily did the same as she leaned against the tub and eyed Derek with a smirk, attempting to hold in the giggles.

"It's not funny," Derek attempted to say in a serious tone.

"Yes it is," Emily managed to get out before busting into laughter.

"Coming from the one who is only as half as soaked as I am."

"Derek, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to mess up your clothes and have this happened," Emily said as guilt washed over her.

"Hey, you can _always _call me. I'll always be here for you. I do know of one way to make it better," he grinned mischievously as he began splashing water from the floor onto his now squealing partner. "Yeah, I think you're right Em. This is funny."

"Derek stop!" Emily laughed as she attempted to protect herself. Finally the two agents matured from their child-like states long enough to realize that although the problem was now solved, there was a huge mess to be cleaned up.

They both cleaned the water off of the floor together and Emily offered to buy Derek dinner in exchange for all he had done to help her that night. "I can dry your clothes in the dryer during dinner if you have your go-bag with you," she offered as they both took a look at their soaked clothes.

"I've got sweatpants in this bag in case I rip others while I'm working on houses. I _usually _have a shirt in there too but someone took the one I usually keep in here and hasn't given it back yet," he looked with a pointed but joking look at his partner with the mention of the FBI shirt Emily had never, and would never, give back. Emily only bit her lip and avoided her gaze at the mention of the shirt. "No worries Princess," Derek chuckled. "I've got more shirts in my go bag in the car. I'll order our food and go get one."

Emily quickly showered and changed in her room while Derek put on his dry sweatpants and cleaned up in Emily's guest bedroom. He made his way into the living room to grab his keys and cell phone. Derek was just about to call in their dinner order when he was stopped by a knock on the door.

"Morgan, can you get that?" Emily called from her bedroom.

He moved to open the door and was met with the startled face of a man about his age but not quite his own strong build. "Oh, hello," the man began, staring the bare-chested agent up and down, clearly not expecting Morgan to open the door. "Umm, I was looking for Emily. I'm Justin Davis," he said as put out his hand for the man to shake even though Derek was clearly not impressed.

"Derek Morgan," he replied with a squeeze of the smaller man's hand. "Emily and I work in the same FBI unit."

"Oh great. I just recently moved into the building and Emily told me something about her working in the FBI. Quite a dangerous job, I'm sure," Justin said in an attempt to make conversation while still standing awkwardly in the doorway. Luckily the two men were saved from any more tension by the object of both of their affections.

"Morgan?" Emily called, clearly not aware of the current situation. "I found something for you," she was about to continue when she saw the visitor. "Justin," Emily said as she walked down the hallway towards the door, clearly lacking enthusiasm.

"Hi Emily," the man replied as his face lit up at the sight of her. "Aunt Emma asked me to keep an eye on the place while she visited her daughter. I just heard some noises and wanted to make sure everything was all right."

"Oh everything's fine. Now, that is," Emily stressed. "I had a bit of a leak in my water line but Derek was able to fix it so it's all good now," she insisted with a light touch of her partner's shoulder.

"Okay," the man responded dejectedly. "Well if you have anymore problems I'm not too far away. Just let me know if you need anything," he offered.

"I certainly will. Thank you," Emily smiled warmly as Justin made his way back to his apartment.

The agents closed the door before speaking. Derek had a schoolboy grin on his face but now it was Emily's turn to stay serious. "It's not funny," she pointed a finger at Morgan.

"Yes it is," he laughed.

"No it's not," she said, a grin trying to creep it's way onto her face. "Mrs. Stewart is his aunt and ever the loving relative, has attempted to set him up with every single woman in this building. So now it's my turn," she said with annoyance.

"Sorry Em," Derek replied genuinely. "I'm sure it will pass soon."

"Let's hope so. Just another reason to want to move I guess. So, are you ready for dinner?" she changed the subject.

"Are you kidding? I'm starving!" Derek said.

"I'll call it in while you go put on a shirt," she smiled and Morgan finally realized she had been holding a shirt in her hand the whole time. "I guess it's time I give it up," she mocked sadness as she threw the FBI shirt at his bare chest to which he only laughed.

The agents ate dinner together and talked late into the night and Derek insisted Prentiss get some sleep. She followed him to the door as they continued talking.

"So I know of some great properties in the area if you're still up for looking. We could go apartment or house hunting tomorrow. I need a new project anyway," Derek winked. "Only if you still want to though."

"I would love that. Honestly, I hate doing things like that on my own. I guess that's why I've stayed here even if I didn't want to. But having a partner who is an expert with houses really comes in handy." Emily responded with a smile.

"Perfect. I'll pick you up at 9:30 then?" he asked from the doorway.

"Yes, I'll even make breakfast."

"Better make it for three just in case. You know Justin might come over to party in the hot tub and try to convince you to stay."

"Oh get out of here," Emily laughed as she playfully pushed Derek out.

"Goodnight Princess," Derek chuckled. "See you in the morning."

"Goodnight Derek," she replied. "And thank you. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I could say the same for you," Derek added softly before turning to walk to his car, leaving Emily with a goofy and flattered grin plastered on her face.

The two agents met the next morning to look at apartments for Emily; every landlord and realtor they met naturally mistook them for an engaged or newlywed couple looking for their first home together. They finally found a beautiful apartment with everything Emily could want and more. It was spacious, had a massive closet Derek only rolled his eyes at, actually had working water, and was far away from Emily's admirer Justin. However, it was only five minutes from Derek's house, something they both felt was the highest selling point of the entire deal even if they would never mention it.

So plans were made for Derek to help Emily move in the following weeks once the leases were completed. Even Garcia and Reid came over that night to celebrate a farewell to Emily's apartment with dinner and games along with their team members. After everyone had left, Emily made her way into her bathroom to finally enjoy the hot bath she had longed for. She moved to turn the water but stopped short at a peculiar site before her. In the very hot tub that created the entire ordeal in the first place, Emily found a bottle of her favorite wine, a copy of one of the Kurt Vonnegut books she didn't have in her collection, and the infamous FBI t-shirt. A small post-it note was stuck to the wine bottle as the only clue to the gift's origins. On it were only the words, "Don't make a mess this time." It was signed with the letter "D" along with a smiling face. Once again, he knew her too well; he knew how to fix her. She couldn't help but smile herself as she enjoyed the gifts in her new favorite room of her apartment.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! You guys are always the best!**


	9. Eyes 4x09

_Hello my loves! Here is a little something to get you through the week!_

_It is a not so little addition to "52 Pickup" – the infamous Viper episode – Whom I do have plans for in another story._

_I have to thank all of you incredibly, amazingly supportive reviewers! So THNAK YOU _dannyanne, paullyn6, Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, and all the Guests.

_OF COURSE the people who I can ALWAYS count on to be there for me as I write this story or just want to talk endlessly about this precious couple: criss128, jhplug, Nix1978 and DEFNITELY AnnKa without whom this story could not be complete. You are seriously FANTASTIC!_

_Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a review._

_I'm off to write more for you, really :D_

**Eyes**

**[4x09 – 52 Pickup]**

"_**When I look into your eyes, one word leaps to my mind every time: Forever." **_

_**-Lara Adrian, **__**Veil of Midnight**__**-**_

"Which one?" Emily asked the technical analyst on the screen before her as she held up a dress in each hand.

"Oh sweetie why do you do this to me? I love them both! It's too hard to choose!" Garcia exclaimed.

"You're the one who made me buy these!"

"That's why it's just so hard to choose!"

"I just need one Garcia. Please? I'm running late enough as it is. The red one or the black one?" Emily pressed.

Garcia was about to answer before both women were cut off by a voice from behind Emily. "The black one," Morgan said as he walked into the room, still looking down to stir his coffee. He hadn't even seen the dresses Emily was holding but he knew exactly which ones she was talking about. She had worn both to team dinners. He thought she looked gorgeous in anything she wore, but the black dress was certainly his favorite.

"Saved by the voice of my Chocolate Thunder Divine. The black one it is dearest," Garcia smiled at her friends. "And don't forget to curl those raven locks baby doll."

"Yes, Garcia," Emily agreed. "I'm going to be late enough as it is since _someone _just couldn't make up their mind," she commented with a sarcastic smile.

"You'll have every male in that club falling weak at the knees - especially that creepy Viper character."

"She's already got him drooling over her," Derek responded, looking none too pleased. He couldn't remember a time when he had been angrier than when Viper had spoken to Emily the way he did. He didn't even care about the insults the man had thrown at him. But if Hotch had not of been there to keep Derek in check, he would have probably sent Viper to the hospital after what he said. Morgan wouldn't stand for any of his BAU ladies to be spoken to that way, but for some reason, especially not Emily. He knew he didn't have a right to be, but he was jealous nonetheless.

"Ugh," Emily moaned, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I'll just be glad when it's over.

"Please sweetie. Hotch told me what that man said to you. You are just the independent, beautiful woman he needs to put him in his place. Show him he's no real man like our perfectly sculpted gentleman, Mr. Delicious Derek Morgan."

"Well I'll try."

"Don't forget to curl your hair!" a voice from the computer exclaimed.

"Garcia, if I didn't love you," Emily mockingly threatened.

"That's my cue to say adieu," Penelope smiled. "And don't forget to take notes. I want a minute-by-minute overview of your night. Keep an eye on her baby love," she said as she turned to face Morgan on the screen.

"I always do," Derek smiled.

"_Goodbye _Garcia," Emily said with a smile as she turned to wave at the computer screen.

"Goodbye my loves," the tech responded.

"Thanks for the help," Emily turned to her partner as she spoke. "As you can see Garcia wasn't exactly helping my indecisiveness."

"Anytime Princess. You'll look perfect," he said genuinely. "Are you sure you're up for this though?"

"I guess I have to be, don't I?" Emily responded.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just be careful okay? I know you can handle yourself but that guy is a creep. He trained our UnSub after all."

"You know I will. But I was thinking of asking Hotch if Jordan could join me. We could give him a taste of his own medicine, you know? And she needs a chance to prove herself after that stunt she pulled earlier when she lied to the family," Emily explained. "Plus, I'll need someone to back me up since you've already got Reid as your wingman," she added with a wink.

"Don't remind me," Derek responded with a chuckle. "I think that is a good idea though. She certainly seems on edge after what happened earlier. And I'll feel better without you there alone anyway."

"I'll ask him," she said.

"Hey, but even if you were there alone, I will _always _be here to back you up," he smiled.

She smiled back as they shared another of the hundreds of little moments where so many words were left unspoken. They were partners and friends, but they knew each other so much better than that. Both of them just weren't ready to understand what that really meant, no matter how much they thought about it.

"I should go get ready," Emily broke the silence.

"I'll see you later. The clubs are so close to one another that we can all take the same SUV," Derek responded and made his way to find Reid.

Emily made her way to get ready and was hopeful in asking Hotch it Jordan could join her. She understood that she had made a mistake but Emily knew better than anyone that everyone needed a second chance. She enjoyed having a female agent on cases with her now that JJ was on maternity leave. The team had too much testosterone as is. Emily smiled as she thought back to the first day she and the team had met JJ's temporary replacement.

_"I'm taking the stairs," Reid exclaimed as he walked away. Morgan had just shut the elevator doors on the two of them and Emily was still standing before them looking dumbfounded._

_Reid had just walked away when the doors opened again and her partner was standing there with a lazy smile. "Come on Princess," he gestured as he held the door open for her._

_Emily made her way inside. "Boy wonder took the stairs."_

_"Then it looks like it will just be you and me then. You still up for dinner?"_

_"As long as you clue me in to what is going on lover boy," Emily giggled._

_"Hardly," Derek said as he made a face at her. "Okay, so here's the truth. This morning, I saw Jordan at the coffee shop on Wilson. And I kind of... Okay I flirted with her."_

_"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Emily smiled._

_"Hey, it's not what you think. Remember last week when I told you we'd have to go see that movie on Saturday night instead?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Well it was because I went out to the club with my buddy Mike from college last Friday. I wasn't exactly excited but I promised him I would be his wingman," he gently placed a friendly hand on her back to lead her out of the elevator doors to the parking area while he continued. "He said that I wasn't on my game. We were always competing for the same girls in college. So he bet me who could find a girl for the next Friday. So when I saw Jordan at the coffee shop, I thought it might be a nice way to get him to stop bothering me about it. But that's not really going to work now. And I guess I'm kind of glad. I'm just not too excited about what Mike will have to say; I'll never hear the end of it. Unless…" Derek eyed Emily with a twinkle in his eye and a pleading look._

_Emily merely shook her head and smiled. "Alright, alright. Pick me up at 7:00 on Friday. I just couldn't bear for you to lose your reputation," she chuckled. Sure, she would do this favor for any friend but she had to admit that any excuse she could find to spend time with her partner, she would take it._

"_I owe you big time," Derek sighed with a grateful smile._

"_Yes you do, so I expect a rather expensive dinner Morgan. And drinks, lots and lots of drinks," Emily joked._

"_Anything you want Princess," Derek winked as he walked her to her car before walking to his own. "I'll see you at the burger place on Main."_

"_I'll beat you there," Emily responded playfully._

"_Oh you're on." And the race began, Emily winning as usual._

_So that Friday night, Derek _did _take Emily out. Sure it was supposed to be a dinner between friends but as Emily was getting ready in her new black dress, it began to feel more and more like a date to her, and Derek felt the same. _

_They had a very enjoyable dinner with Mike and his date Sarah. Surprisingly she was an English professor at the university where Mike coached and Emily's inner nerd instantly came out, one of Derek's favorite qualities about his partner. The girls talked nonstop about their favorite authors with the boys chiming in whenever they could. Of course, the girls when to freshen up together, giving Mike and Derek a chance to talk._

"_Man, you've got a keeper there," Derek told his friend. "Sarah's great."_

"_I think so too. I have to say this is the best bet I've ever won. I can't stop thinking about her," Mike agreed. "Who would have thought I would turn into one of those guys?" he laughed. "But I like it. It's your turn next my friend."_

"_Oh I don't think so," Derek brushed off the comment. "You won the bet, I'm buying your dinner. Go ahead, rub it in."_

"_No man, really. I know Emily is just your partner but I've never seen you like this. You know each other so well. You're always together. You can't tell me you haven't at least thought about it."_

"_Mike, she's my partner. That's all," Derek admitted, but couldn't ignore the slightly sad feeling he felt as he said it. _

"_Whatever you say," Mike conceded, though he was clearly unconvinced. "All I'm saying is, sometimes the right one can be right under your nose all along. I've known Sarah for four years and never thought about her like that. I'd see her all the time but one day I realized I couldn't _stop _thinking about her. So what I'm saying is that maybe if you stop looking, you'll realize that what you've been missing has been right in front of you all along."_

_To Derek's thanks, the girls were just making their way back to the table and he avoided any further conversation on the subject, for now. What he didn't realize was that Sarah had been giving Emily a similar speech in the ladies' room. _

"_So who wants to dance" Sarah asked excitedly._

"_Let's go," Mike smiled as he took her hand and led her to the floor. "Come on you two," he called back. The agents looked at each other awkwardly, as if asking for permission and wondering if they were crossing a line._

"_Would you like to dance?" Derek asked, never one for awkwardness around women but he suddenly felt a wave of it coming on. "Unless you don't want to."_

"_Don't be silly. I just hope you can keep up with me," Emily laughed as they moved onto the dance floor. It was an upbeat song at first but soon, the beat became slow and the tension rose. Mike and Sarah remained on the floor so Derek and Emily felt obligated, not that either one of them minded of course._

_They stayed at a safe distance but hands intertwined as Emily delicately rested against her partner. Each one told themselves it was for protocol but it was truly because if they got any closer, all protocol would be broken in a second. Derek's heart was pounding and Emily's face was flushing, but they both ignored it, both breathing a sigh of relief as the song ended and they made their way back to the table. Yet, they suddenly felt cold and secretly longed for the feel of the other. They would continue this dance many more years, but one day, when it was their song and it was their turn, everything would finally change. _

Still smiling at the thought, Emily was interrupted by her unit chief's presence before her thoughts went too far and she finally received permission to take Jordan into the field again. She finished getting ready and made her way upstairs to wait alone until it was time to go.

About twenty minutes later, Derek came into the station again as the SUVs were ready. He spotted his partner near the coffee station and walked over to Emily. Her back was turned to him but he already knew what she was doing and why. He walked to her side and reached for the hand she was biting the nails of before she could pull it back. "Hey," he whispered. "It's okay. You don't have to be nervous."

"Sorry, I'm not nervous or scared. I guess I'm just dreading going head to head with such a creep like Viper. I mean I've dated worse guys, I've told you that. I really just want to stay here and take care of the tip line like Reid said."

"I would give anything for you not to have to interact with that jerk anymore. But you're not just the best at the job so you can figure out the information we need, you can challenge him – you intimidate him. And we all know he needs that. With a gorgeous woman like you, he won't stand a chance." Emily merely gave him an amused smirk as she tried to ignore her blushing cheeks. She quickly pulled her hand away when she realized he was still holding onto it, but he continued nevertheless. "Come on, it's time to go. I told you the black dress would be perfect. You really do look beautiful," he added, creating an awkward silence between them as they stared into each other's eyes, both thinking thoughts they knew they shouldn't.

The agents drove to the club, Derek and Reid dropping the girls off first and then moving on to their assigned club; but not before Morgan told Prentiss to be careful once more.

Though they thoroughly despised it, Jordan and Emily finally pried the information they needed from Viper with their charm. They changed at the station but were back on the road again after the UnSub struck once more.

Emily and Jordan were driving the SUV, still talking about Viper's crazy tricks and what they still tried to do to get a man's attention. "You shouldn't worry about getting noticed you know," Jordan commented to Emily in regards to their earlier conversation. "There were plenty of guys checking you out at the club. You had three guys ask for your number, one practically try to kidnap you to the dance floor, not to mention all the eyes watching you. Didn't you see Viper getting jealous?"

Emily simply laughed off the compliment, but her self-confidence low as always, deflected the compliment as usual. "This is coming from the girl who had three drinks purchased for her in the first ten minutes we were there.

Prentiss was right but Jordan continued her praise for her fellow agent whom she admired as a mentor and was thankful she had allowed the opportunity for her second chance with Hotch. "Ugh, all Viper cloned creeps. But really, you did. Not to mention the way you had Morgan falling weak at the knees before we left."

"Oh please," Emily shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"But that's not different from any other time I suppose. You always do," Jordan continued.

"Hardly," Prentiss replied, wanting to move on from the subject that was making her blush so unwillingly.

"Come on. Don't you see how he follows you around with those puppy dog eyes every chance he gets? I saw how he talked to you before we all went out tonight. You're always together. Everyone can see that you two are the closest on the team. You can't tell me, woman to woman, that you haven't at least thought about it," Jordan said with a pointed gaze in the agent's direction.

Emily kept her eyes on the road as she tried to find a way out of the conversation. Sure she had thought about it, far too many times than she would ever like to admit. But she knew protocol, and more importantly, she knew how distant and complicated she was.

"No, it's not like that," Emily began. She was about to continue but was thankful beyond words that Jordan's cell phone started ringing as Hotch called them and the conversation was abruptly ended. However, the thought still lingered in Emily's mind throughout the rest of the case.

The plane ride home was a short one, but long enough for Jordan to prove the point she had been trying to make earlier. As she sat across from Reid, she looked over to the seats by the window where Morgan and Prentiss sat, and smiled.

"So is this your card?" Morgan asked with a hopeful grin for the third time as he turned in his seat on the plane towards his partner. Reid had let him borrow a deck of cards and attempted to teach Derek some of his tricks. However, by the disheartened smile on Emily's face, Morgan wasn't quite catching on. In fact, he was failing miserably.

"Umm yes?" Emily tried to lie but Derek knew her too well.

"I give up. I can't believe that boy's got more skill than me."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Emily chuckled. "At least you know how to have a _normal _conversation with a living, breathing female unlike our resident genius. And we all know you've got more moves than Viper," she scoffed at the thought.

"That's true. And I'll prove it. Team dinner tonight?" Morgan asked. "Reid, Jordan, are you up for it?" he asked towards the other end of the plane.

"Sure," Jordan smiled, already thinking of how to prove her point about her two fellow agents. She was filling in for JJ in more ways than one.

Later that night, they all met at a bar for dinner in the city. Garcia and Kevin joined them as well and after much insistence, Emily had worn Garcia's other favorite dress, the red one.

After dinner and a few too many drinks later, Garcia was begging her fellow female agents for details of Viper's supposed lady stopping moves. Jordan and Emily started to tell about all of his tricks and Jordan saw this as her perfect opportunity. But Garcia beat her to it in her excitement.

Jordan began thought of the trick Viper used on them. She explained how you were supposed to stare into the eyes of one another and after fifteen seconds, if your eyes were dilated, you were attracted to that person.

"Scientifically, there is no connection between love and an ocular reaction. Alcohol can also have a large affect. However, physical attraction plays a huge role in…" Reid had begun but was quickly cut off.

"Love and science don't mix Dr. Reid. It's just magic," Penelope commented dramatically. "Did you do it?" Garcia asked excitedly as she turned back to Jordan.

"Unfortunately yes," Jordan answered. "Of course my eyes didn't dilate like he wanted them to, but he made up some excuse that I had my mind on someone else."

"Like Carter in the bomb squad unit?" Emily winked causing Jordan to blush at the thought of the man she had just started seeing.

"No?" she responded unconvincingly, earning "mmmhhhmmmsss" from Garcia and Prentiss.

"Come on Kevin, let's do it!" Penelope exclaimed. "I have to make sure you don't have your mind on someone else," she joked.

"Should I be the one who's worried," Kevin nodded towards Derek.

"I have enough attraction for the both of you." And so the contest began, leaving both the tech lovebirds' eyes rightfully dilated.

"Your turn," Jordan turned to Prentiss.

"No way," Emily quickly responded.

"Oh come on, we're all going to do it. You didn't have to do it with Viper at the club so you owe me," Jordan offered.

Emily merely sighed. "Fine."

"Okay, Emily with Derek, Jordan with Reid," Garcia interjected excitedly.

All the agents started to argue but they knew they'd never win against Garcia. The contest began, Jordan staring Reid down much like she did Viper while Reid just looked like a lost child.

Emily and Derek however had more trouble, not because they didn't enjoy it. But because they could both see the flickering in the other's eyes, knowing their own were doing the same.

Penelope called time not a moment too soon. She stated that Jordan's eyes were unaffected, clearly because her mind was on Carter, while she claimed Reid's pupils were unchanged because he probably had his mind on some book or math equation.

Yet when she turned to Morgan and Prentiss, she smiled with joy. "Do their eyes deceive my own or do I see a flicker of dilation?"

"It's like Reid said, it's just the alcohol." Emily quickly interjected.

"No, I don't think so," Jordan added with a satisfied grin.

Garcia moved to further examine Derek's eyes and claimed the same. "Of course babygirl, because I'm looking at you," he winked, trying to shake off the uncomfortable situation.

"Oh be still my heart," Garcia responded, the dilation trick forgotten as quickly has it had come. Derek asked her to the dance floor while Reid and Kevin were lost in geek talk, leaving Emily and Jordan alone at the table.

"I know it wasn't the alcohol," Jordan began with a knowing smile.

Emily merely rolled her eyes. "It's a stupid trick. It means nothing."

"Look, all I know is, the first time I met Derek Morgan, which was only for a brief moment, I was kind of attracted to him – before I met Carter of course," Jordan explained. "But the moment I met him at the BAU, I realized that that man is already taken and has been for quite some time."

"Jordan," Emily said with annoyance.

"I know you may not see it but one day you will. The man is head over heels for you. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. But that's a risk I'm willing to take because I've seen that look before and I know what it means." Emily thought deeply, still trying to hold in her confusing feelings. "I'm sorry," Jordan began again, sensing her friend's concern, but knowing it was fear. "I won't bring it up anymore."

"Hey it's okay," Emily said. "I might disagree with you but it's still nice to have another girl on the team. Listen, Garcia and I were going to go shopping at the mall for JJ and the baby this Saturday afternoon. She's got a convention that morning and I'm working out with Morgan," she abruptly stopped as she earned a pointed look from Jordan. "_Anyway_, would you like to join us?"

"I'd love to!" the new agent exclaimed, happy to finally feel a true part of the tight knit team.

"Garcia, Jordan is coming shopping with us Saturday," Emily said as she and Morgan had walked over to the table after the dance.

"Oh good!" Penelope squealed with excitement.

"Kevin, you better use that tech guru magic and deactivate their credit cards now," Derek laughed.

"Well it looks like _you _won't be getting anything on the shopping excursion my love," Penelope joked towards Morgan.

"Oh you'll love me again tomorrow."

"I already do," she replied. "Well baby cakes we should go," she turned to Kevin. They exchanged hugs and went on their way.

"Em are you ready?" Derek asked.

"Yes," she answered and gave more hugs before they began to walk out. The whole time, she was attempting to ignore Jordan's smile in their direction. "Thanks for offering to drive me since it was on your way."

"You know I'd do it even if it wasn't," Derek offered warmly.

Jordan heard the whole conversation and her smile grew even bigger.

"What is it?" Reid asked.

"Nothing. I just realized I was right about something that's all." she replied, not wanting to oust a secret until they had come to their own conclusion; which they would, slowly but surely. However, for now, their mutual attraction was proof enough for everyone else, they just had to realize it themselves.

**Hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to leave a comment :D **


	10. Destiny 4x14

_Okay so I just want to start off by saying I am SO sorry for how long this update has taken. Life has hit me like a ton of brick but I know, there is still no excuse. _

_Nevertheless, I hope you are all doing FABULOUSLY! Here's a little Demily addition to "Cold Comfort" _

_Of course, I have to thank all of you incredibly supportive reviewers! So THNAK YOU _Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, Nix1978 and Guests.

_And ESPECIALLY the people who I can ALWAYS count on to be there for me as I write these Demily stories: criss128, jhplug and AnnKa. You all are seriously the BEST!_

_Hope you enjoy and I PROMISE I am off to write more this time._

**Destiny**

**[4x14 - Cold Comfort]**

"**It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."**

**Lisa Mantchev, **_**Eyes Like Stars**_

Derek Morgan knew something was off with his partner. After years of working together, he could read Emily like a book. He knew when she was happy, sad, frustrated, and angry. He even knew when it was her time of the month. Ever since the beginning of their current case, Prentiss just hadn't been herself and Derek had made it his goal to find out why.

They travelled along on the long road toward the airport in the SUV. The car gently rocked back and forth as it drove through the steady rain. As Morgan was attempting to come up with a plan of how to approach Prentiss, he found himself stealing glances her way beside him in the passenger seat. She was staring out the window at the passing landscape but could barely keep her eyes open.

"Prentiss?" Derek began softly.

"Hmmm?" she mumbled, still gazing out the window.

"Are you alright? You've been pretty quiet lately."

"I'm fine," she began in her usually guarded manner as she turned to face him.

"Emily," Derek cut her off in a knowing tone.

"Really. I'm okay. I still don't feel very well. My head hurts. It's just been a long week. I'll just be happy when we get home."

"I'm sorry. What do you need? Should I stop and get you medicine? A soda? The caffeine might help your head."

"Derek stop, I'm fine. Look, I'm just tired. Don't worry okay?" she comforted.

But her partner still was not convinced. Though he remained quiet about the issue, he kept a watchful eye on Emily throughout the rest of the car ride. As soon as the plane had taken off, she had instantly fallen asleep in the farthest corner of the jet. Derek had quietly made his way near her sleeping form and sat across from her. He quickly noticed her flushed cheeks and chest; this, coupled with the fact that she was clutching a blanket around her shoulders and shivering from what was clearly the beginning of a fever, helped Derek realize how sick Prentiss was truly becoming.

Just as the plane landed with the sunrise, Morgan followed Emily out to where the team's cars were parked. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked one more time before she got into her car.

"I'll be fine. At least we have a long weekend. I'll just finish off these case files and get some rest," she forced a smile as she tried to get him to stop worrying.

"You better," Derek smiled, still not convinced.

Later that afternoon, Prentiss moped her way towards the door to answer the knock she had heard. Every part of her body ached and her nausea felt like it would never go away. She was not in the mood to entertain guests. But when she opened the door, she couldn't help but smile as she saw Derek Morgan standing before her holding a bag from the pharmacy in his hands.

"What are you doing here Morgan?" Emily asked.

"Can't a guy take care of his partner?" he smiled as he reached for a bottle of medicine in the bag. "Because I know you certainly aren't." She began to protest but he cut her off. "I know you too well Em. Am I right?"

"Well," Emily answered, knowing he was right. "Come in," she conceded.

Derek walked with Emily to the living room and glanced around to see case files strewn over every surface available. "I knew it! Don't you ever stop working?"

"These files have to be completed by Monday," she protested.

"Emily you're _sick!_" Derek said.

"I'm not _that _sick!" Emily exclaimed before the only sound she made was coughing.

"Right," Morgan responded with a look of disbelief. "Come on Princess, give it up. You are going to take this and sit right here and get better," he continued as he handed her the bottle of medication and moved to clear off the many manila folders covering the couch. "These case files can wait."

Emily stood looking in mock annoyance at the man before her. "You're never going to stop worrying about me, are you?"

"Never," Derek winked and pointed to the medicine she held in her hand. "Oh and taking that was _not _a request; because if you do," he said as he held up a movie he knew she loved and wiggled it in his hands.

"Now _that _I cannot argue with," Prentiss smiled as she moved to take the medicine while Derek put in the movie.

After she had taken the pills, Emily made herself comfortable on the couch under a blanket. Derek moved to hand her the remotes and grabbed his coat. "You should rest. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"You're leaving?" Emily asked in surprise as she looked up at her friend.

"Well I've bugged you enough. I know you don't exactly like being told what to do and you'd kill me if I tried to babysit you anymore. I don't want to bother you," Derek explained. He clearly didn't want to leave but he couldn't impose on Emily any more. Luckily, she had the same sentiments.

"You could never bother me Morgan. I would really love if you stayed. Only if you want to though," Emily added with nervousness.

"Are you sure?" he replied hopefully.

"Of course," she smiled. "And it's not like I could really enjoy this movie alone anyway. I just hope I don't make you sick."

"I've been around you this entire week. If you were that contagious, I would already be sick. Or maybe my immune system is just as strong as I am," Derek laughed as he showed off his arm muscles.

"Oh my," Emily laughed. "Sit down before you trip over your oversized ego and hurt yourself."

Derek was thankful Emily had let him stay. So he sat down beside her and they spent the rest of the afternoon watching the movie but simply enjoying being with each other. Morgan made soup for Prentiss before he went home for the night.

"Thanks for this. I really needed it. It's been a rough week," Emily offered as she watched Derek clean up the dishes. She had offered to help but he wouldn't hear of it.

"I've noticed," Derek smirked in her direction, both instantly remembering Emily's bad mood the first morning of the case in regards to Penelope's horoscope predictions. "Are you sure it was just being sick?"

"No," Emily rolled her eyes. "My landlady has been dying to set me up with her nephew so after months I finally agreed to go out with him just to finally stop hearing about it."

"And?" Derek prodded.

"Well let's just say, I still don't believe in the things, but the horoscope was right about a supposed 'slight hitch in my romantic opportunity'" she mocked as she threw up her hands to make quotations.

"That bad huh?" he asked. Deep down, _very _deep down although he could never admit it, Morgan secretly relished in the fact that he was the only man who was constant in Emily's life. Even if they were only partners and best friends, jealousy still existed in each of them.

"It was a total disaster. He was completely freaked out about my day job. I should have stuck with my mother's rule: serial killers are _not _suitable dinner conversation. He only mentioned he was a strict, convicted vegetarian _after _I ordered one of the best steaks on the menu. Then he proceeded to glare at me with every bite I took. I was so nervous I spilled the red wine and ruined a brand new silk blouse. Oh and last but not least my nerd side came out within the first five minutes. The guy didn't even know who Kurt Vonnegut was, can you imagine?" Derek couldn't help but laugh as his partner dramatically described her unfortunate evening. "It's not funny," Emily continued, contradicting the smile on her face.

"No, no. Not funny at all," Morgan chuckled. "Well perhaps the stars will realign in your favor very soon."

"I think the stars should just stay out of my love life completely." Emily laughed.

The kitchen was clean and Derek insisted Emily get some rest. Morgan also insisted he take the stack of case files he had found so he could finish them for his sick partner. She tried to protest but naturally, he wouldn't hear of it. They said their goodbyes and Emily could already tell she felt better.

The next day, Emily felt infinitely better than she had the previous day. She wasn't sick anymore but rather, sick of simply sitting around doing nothing for hours on end. So she thought she would take Derek up on his offer of a workout date he had mentioned if she felt up to it. She reached for the phone and pressed the speed dial for her partner.

Only a few moments later, Emily heard a raspy voice mutter from the other end of the line, "Hello?"

"Morgan? Hey. I was just calling to see if you still wanted to go to the training gym this afternoon."

"Well… actually," Derek began, but was cut off by a bout of coughing.

"Oh no," Emily breathed as realization dawned on her. "You're sick now too?"

"You know this is all your fault, don't you?" Derek joked; but his laugh quickly became another coughing fit.

"Oh Derek I'm so sorry," Emily responded with sympathy.

"Hey, it's okay. But yeah, maybe we could reschedule? I'm pretty sure all I'm going to do today is sleep."

"Of course. Well I hope you feel better."

"Thanks Em," Derek replied sincerely.

"And I really am sorry," Prentiss added.

"Don't be. Look I might have gotten sick but at least I got to spend time with you in the process. I'd say it was worth it," Morgan responded and suddenly Emily was thankful they weren't talking face to face as she felt her face begin to flush.

"Alright, well feel better." With that, both agents hung up their phones with a smile on their face. Derek made his way back to the couch, lacking any energy to tackle the case files he had brought home and even lacking the energy to pay attention to the football game playing out on his television screen.

About an hour later, Morgan was pulled out of wallowing in his self-pity by a knock on the door. He pulled himself up off of the comfortable couch with a moan of frustration and stomped his way to the door. He yanked the door open with incredible force but was stopped from beginning a raging tirade when he saw Emily Prentiss standing before him with a smile on her face. He had to admit, that smile could make him fall weak at the knees every single time he saw it.

"Em," he exclaimed as his anger instantly dissipated and was replaced with excitement. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would return the favor," Emily stated as the held up a container of soup in one hand and a handful of medicine in the other.

"You didn't have to do that."

"Neither did you," Emily countered with a wink.

"Touché," Morgan responded as he opened the door further and gestured for his smiling partner to come in.

"So I guess your immune system isn't so tough now is it?" Emily couldn't help but joke as she giggled and led him to the couch.

So the process repeated itself, only this time in reverse. Derek took his medicine at Emily's insistence and they watched a movie while they at the soup Emily had bought, since she hated cooking anyway.

"Oh look your favorite thing, horoscopes," Derek smiled as he sat in the living room and he read the paper that had just been delivered as Emily was gathering her belongings.

"Oh gosh not that again," Emily moaned with sarcasm.

"You're not scared are you Princess?" Derek winked towards his partner, only to earn an eye-roll in return.

"Let's just get this over with," she conceded.

Morgan cleared his throat rather dramatically with a flourish of the paper in his hands before he began to read "Okay, Libra. Do not be discouraged about your past misfortunes. Your world will turn around sooner than you think. Just follow your heart and your true destiny could be right before your eyes."

"Ridiculous," Emily instantly offered to cover the fluttering feeling creeping into her heart with the last phrase. "Like I said before, it's gibberish."

"I agree; but you have to admit it is a _little _fun." Derek smiled only to be met with a roll of the eyes from Prentiss. "You're right though, I think I would rather control my _own _destiny."

"Thank you," she nodded in agreement, but still unable to shake the feeling she had when the little bit of words had hit closer to home than she had expected.

"Do you need anything else before I go?"

"Now that I think of it, Momma always gave me a Vicks vapor rub down when I was sick like this. So tell me, want to take a feel Princess?" Derek smiled as he raised his hands by his chest in a questioning gesture.

Although for a split second, Emily couldn't think of anything she'd love more than getting her hands on her partner's perfectly sculpted pack of abs, her FBI instinct kicked into high gear with a guarded response. "Oh keep dreaming mister."

"Oh I will. And maybe the stars will realign in _my _favor," he winked.

"I think you might need the universe to realign before that happened." Emily joked right back earning a pout from her partner.

They walked to the door and said their goodbyes once more. "Thanks for this Em. I know I can count on you."

"Always," Emily winked. "Feel better," she said as she turned and made her way to the car, mind still on the previous topic of discussion as she tried to rationalize her way out of the growing feelings she had for her partner. For now, she could. But soon, they would both realize that no matter how much they tried to fight it, the universe had other plans. They were made for each other.


	11. Snow 4x17

_Hello all! I know my last chapter was really short so I wanted to give you a little something more _

_I hope you enjoy this little snippet of what I think happened after the powerful episode, "Demonology."_

_PLEASE REVIEW and I will update even sooner!_

…**Snow…**

**(…**_**Demonology**_** – 4x17…)**

As she walked through the snow by the church, Emily felt like she couldn't breathe. The chill of the snow had crept into her fingers, her toes, up her limbs and into her very bones. But the real cold came from deep within her heart, her soul had been so hurt, so damaged – by this case, and by everything in her life that had led up to it.

She stopped before the large stone columns, stopping to look up, to ask why – _why _had all of this happened – to her friends, to her. Matthew never deserved to die. She hated herself – she had brought this on upon him. It wasn't her fault he was murdered, but she felt it was her fault he had chosen the path he had.

But Emily knew that Matthew loved her – she thought he was the only one who had loved her for her in her entire life - but little did she know, someone else was learning to love her more than Matthew ever could. If she hadn't been a teenager so focused on fitting in, she would have realized that before it was too late. But she knew he died for her. She saw the blood, and remembered the words she had heard earlier on the case. And she smiled as felt cleansed, her faith had been restored, even if she still hated herself – she hated how she couldn't trust people and how she couldn't let them in – she was learning to move on.

She looked up at the picture she was holding, relieved, sad and alone. But she was pulled out of her trance when she heard her name from behind her. She was startled, but turned around after she heard it again. And there he was, Derek Morgan – always her protector, her new Matthew – sitting in the government SUV they always rode in, window down, calling out her name through the snow.

"Morgan?" she asked.

"Emily, you're going to freeze out here. Come on," Derek said. "Let me take you home."

Emily slowly made her way to the car, and stopped in front of the door to look into the window. "How did you find me here?"

"After we wrapped up the scene, I looked around to find you. I wanted to make sure you were all right, but Rossi said you had left but I was your ride. I know how you like to walk when you have deep thinking to do," Emily smiled slightly at how well her partner knew her. "So I put two and two together and I've been driving around trying to find you.

And thank goodness I did because this storm is really picking up. Em you really shouldn't be out in this. Come on get in the car. It's freezing out there. And I really don't want to have to break in a new partner because you turned into a popsicle," Derek joked as he leaned over to open the door for Prentiss.

Emily helped herself into the car, as Derek turned the heat on even higher, trying to warm up a shivering Emily. They rode in silence for the short distance it took to get to Emily's apartment, both trying to find the right words to say after the case that had caused them to argue.

They made their way inside her place, and Derek insisted on making soup and sandwiches to help fight of the cold. Naturally, Prentiss did not complain – his presence comforted her, and she didn't want him to leave until it was absolutely necessary. So they cooked together, putting off the serious conversation they knew was coming.

They finally both sat at the table, eating their dinner and Derek took the plunge into what he knew had to be said eventually. "Emily, I want you to know that I'm sorry for the way I treated you during that interview. I shouldn't have done that…"

"Morgan…" Emily began.

"No, really." He cut her off. "I was just so worried about you, I still am. I knew you were hurting and I wanted to protect you from anymore pain." She looked at him with an understanding look as he continued. "I just remember how it is when these cases are personal…" he said, both of them remembering the case that had exposed his history to the team in Chicago. "I know how much they can hurt, and I didn't want that for you."

"Thank you, Derek. But you were right in what you did. I got too close to this case… I had to much history and I let my emotions get the best of me." She reached for his hand as she made her next statement, "But that's why we're such a great team, right? We know each other; we keep each other in check when we need to. You realized it before anyone else did and you kept me from acting foolishly – you protected me. So, thank you…"

Derek smiled at her from his seat, thankful this case was over, thankful his partner was healing – simply thankful he had her back to her normal self. But he knew something was still bothering her. "Emily," he began cautiously. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

She looked up at him, the battle within her soul raging between the thought of hiding her emotions as she always did, or trusting her best friend. And because of his reassuring gaze on her and the comfort his presence brought to her, trust won out in the end. She nodded her head and they made their way into her living room, finding their usual places on the couch. But this time, with half the distance in between them both.

Derek had turned to face her, giving her his full and undivided attention. And Emily told him the story she had told Rossi. But this time, she told him absolutely everything: about the nonexistent family life she had grown up in, the way her parents barely acknowledged her presence because of their jobs and how alone she felt because of it, the way she and Matthew met and had become best friends – ironically, they had bonded over books – she told him about the jerk she had fallen for once that had resulted in her pregnancy and the fears she experienced before Matthew had taken care of her, holding her hand to comfort her during the whole procedure – and she told him that is how she knew now just how much Matthew had loved her. But then she told him how Matthew had walked away from his former ways and how she had blamed herself everyday since, waiting for God to punish her for what she had done – for causing Matthew to change, the fact that he had (in her mind) died for her and for the baby she still woke up from dreaming about holding just once in her arms.

Of course she couldn't tell him about Declan, but her mind wandered to the little blond boy she had grown so attached to, the boy she had always seen as her second chance with a child because of the one she had never been able to come to know.

At this point, she had tried hard to keep herself together but the tears still fell as they always did. But this time, she wasn't alone. Derek had reached out for her hand sometime during the story when she had to take a moment to compose herself. But now she had finished and looked at him with sad, pleading eyes – looking for the comfort he was always able to provide her.

"Emily," Derek began, voice full of sincerity and comfort. "You have to stop blaming yourself. Yes, Matthew loved you. But that doesn't mean what happened was _your _fault. You couldn't know what he would do and you know that instance wasn't what brought it on. He was dealing with that long before you. You didn't cause this. But this is not your punishment, Em."

"Are you sure?" Emily asked tearfully. "Because I deserve it."

"Oh Emily," Derek said, he saw she was scared and so he pulled her into the tightest hug he could. "When are you going to see that you deserve so much more? You just have to trust people; you have to let them in. You are not alone Princess. We love you - I love you. The team is your family, we're your friends and we are here for you. I will always be here for you. You're my partner, I'm never going to let anything happen to you."

Emily's tears had finally subsided and they pulled out of their hug but still held tight to one another's hands. She had finally found what she had been looking for since she was that scared fifteen year old. She smiled at all that she did have but hadn't realized just how lucky she was until tonight. She had the team – her family of friends she now knew she couldn't live without. Garcia and JJ were her best girl friends, constantly there for her, Hotch provided the stability and direction she needed – they all needed, Reid was the brother she never had, Rossi was the father figure she had always hoped for, and Morgan… he was her Matthew – her mature, new and even better version of Matthew – he was her best friend, her comforter and her protector. And he loved her, she didn't know yet just how much but she knew they both loved one another as best friends, and they too would die for the other without even a thought.

"Thank you," she finally whispered to Derek.

"Like I told you before," he smiled. "_Always_."

And she smiled back in return, finally able to lift the burden off of her heart and smile at the wonderful life she had. So they started to talk about their childhoods – the happy and the sad memories they had – late into the night, building each other's trust and the foundation of their relationship even more. Emily had somehow managed to find a resting place for her head on Derek's shoulder, and he had snaked his arm around her back. They told themselves it was because of the cold weather, but in their hearts, they both knew better. When Emily let out a yawn, Derek insisted she get some rest.

"You know that storm hasn't let up all night," she said as she looked out the window. "It wouldn't be safe to drive in. Do you maybe want to stay?" she asked hopefully. "I wouldn't want to have to break in a new partner you know," she said, imitating his earlier words.

"Of course, I do." Derek replied with a laugh, knowing she wanted him to stay not only for his safety but also for the comfort they brought one another. So they made their way to bed – Emily to hers and Derek to the guest bedroom – but before they walked through the doors, they stopped once more. "Thank you for trusting me tonight, Em. I want you to know I meant every word I said."

"So did I," she said thoughtfully. "I don't know what I'd do without you. Thank you for always being here to listen."

"And I always will be," Derek winked and pulled her into one last hug goodnight, running a hand through her hair as she ran one up and down his back. They held each other long and close, finally making their way to their separate beds. But they both fell asleep knowing that no matter what happened, they would _always _have each other. And for them, it was enough.


	12. Alive 4x18

Hello again dah-lings… Here is a little missing moment from one of the Foyet arc episodes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Again, THANK YOU so much to all my wonderful readers & reviewers – you all make this story possible. So criss128, jhplug, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, Megz17, zackgibra, AnnKa, Nix1978, ayanamonique, BulletStrong _and _animallvr4eva – I love each and every one of you!

Well, like I ALWAYS say (did you like my little Demily reference there?) – Please read and REVIEW and I promise I will update soon! And don't forget to leave me any ideas you might have!

* * *

**Alive**

**4x18 - Omnivore**

"_If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger."_

― _Emily Brontë, __Wuthering Heights_

"He's going to be okay," Rossi said with a father-like assurance as he noticed Emily nervously picking her fingernails in the passenger seat beside him.

"Promise?" Emily asked with the tone of a scared child.

"I promise kiddo," Rossi comforted his favorite agent as he reached for one of her hands. To him, Emily was the daughter he never had. They had deep conversations, similar interests and temperaments… so he knew exactly why she was as nervous as she was. "You know he's lucky to have a partner like you. Someone who cares."

"Thank you," Emily said in Rossi's direction, but her voice was still weak. "We have to catch him Rossi. He hurt Morgan, who knows who he'll go after next… We can't let him rip our family apart."

"And we won't. We're going to hunt him down no matter what," Rossi assured as they pulled into the driveway of the house. They alighted from the car and Hotch pulled in directly behind them.

The three agents walked up to the house, Emily's stomach still churning with nerves – all she wanted to do was make sure her partner was all right – she hated to think of him hurt in any way. In her mind, Derek Morgan was invincible, she couldn't bear to think of losing a single one of the team members, but she knew losing Derek would be the worst of all. He was her partner and they protected each other, but even more than that, he was one of her best friends and she didn't think her heart could handle losing one more person in her life.

"Dave, you and I can assess the situation out here. Prentiss, why don't you go check on Morgan? I can only imagine how difficult he is being for the paramedics," Hotch added with a rare but guarded smile.

Emily nodded and practically ran into the house to find Morgan. Soon she heard his curses, no doubt at the poor paramedic, and moved quickly toward the sounds. "Morgan?" she said with a breathy tone of both worry and relief as she saw her partner sitting before her. She wasn't sure what made her breath quicken more: the injuries covering his body, the fact that he was actually alive or simply his perfectly sculpted body… she would have denied the last reason to her grave but she knew it was a combination of _all _of those reasons.

"Hey Em… Ouch!" Derek exclaimed, glaring at the paramedic. Emily walked over to him; thankful she could finally see him alive and breathing in front of her.

"Hey," Prentiss said, placing a hand on his shoulder as Morgan looked up to meet her gaze. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got thrown through a window," Derek began, receiving a less than amused glance from Emily. "But once they get this glass out of me, they say I should be ready to get back to work."

"Good, but you're going to need to take it easy." Emily said softly, regretfully taking a step back to let the paramedic do his job.

"I'm going to catch this guy Emily," Derek said with obvious determination.

"Yes you will. _We _will. Together. But right now just be thankful you're alive." Emily said, trying to calm herself down from her previous thoughts of possibly losing a partner.

But at that moment, Hotch entered the room to evaluate the situation. The three agents discussed the events of the last hour, particularly the actions and motivations of the UnSub. However Morgan's anger didn't go away and neither did Prentiss' worry. Hotch excused himself to continue investigating the scene, knowing he had left Morgan in his partner's capable hands.

The partners discussed the case a bit further but Prentiss really didn't care at this point, she was just happy Morgan was alive and she tried to remind him of that. But he was still angry… angry and confused – not at her of course, but at the fact that his pride had been hurt far worse than his body.

So Derek stood up and left the room before the paramedic could tell him about the pain medication he would need. Luckily, Emily quickly asked on his behalf and proceeded to dash after her partner. "Morgan!" Emily called after him.

"You forgot this," Emily said, handing Morgan the small pack of pain relievers. "The paramedic said to take two every four to six hours."

"Thanks but I'm fine," Derek said, defeat still clear in his voice. Emily was trying to be understanding but her patience was wearing thin. Yet when she looked into the eyes of her partner, all she could ultimately think of was her gratefulness that he was simply still there.

"Morgan, if you want to catch this guy, you'll need your strength," she said softly. "Go on, take them," she nudged. And as always, he couldn't say no to her so he reached for the medication. "Now, you're going to take those and get better and we're going to catch this guy," Emily said with a purpose she hoped would rub off on Morgan.

"But we don't have any more leads. He could just go kill someone else tomorrow."

"Morgan," Emily whispered soothingly; trying to pull him out of this line of thinking.

"But nowhe has my credentials and he could do anything…" he continued.

"Derek," Emily still trying to cut him off, attempting to reason with him; but he continued.

"I just don't understand why he didn't kill me when he had the chance…" he responded, head down deep in thought. And for her it was her emotional undoing.

"Would you stop it!?" Emily practically yelled; his final words her breaking point. He looked up, utterly startled and then he could see that she was trying to fight the tears welling in her eyes. "I know you're angry but you are alive, and that's all that matters. I promise you we will fight until we catch this guy – he has hurt enough people and now he is messing with our team," she said, her voice cracking but she carried on. "But Derek, right now you just need to remember how lucky you are to still be here to fight at all."

Emily stormed off before a very confused Derek could even process what she had said. "Don't be too hard on her," a voice said from behind him. Derek turned around to see Rossi walking up to him. "Think of how you felt when she took that beating from Cyrus," Rossi continued, noticing the pain of the memory on Derek's face. "You wanted to run in there and protect her the minute he laid a hand on her. It was written all over your face, even if you did tell me anyway. Why? Because you're her partner, and more importantly, you're her friend… So imagine how she felt when she found out you were hurt, and possibly killed; and she wasn't there to protect you… her partner… the way she feels like she should have been."

Derek looked at the older agent, stunned but strangely not at all surprised. He knew the way he and Emily had both felt after she was held hostage by Cyrus – and there was no amount of money in the world that would cause him to go through that again. He was still upset but now, he finally realized just how selfish he was being.

"She'd kill me if I told you this: but I'm going to tell you anyway because you obviously need to hear it. Do you that that she was a nervous wreck when we heard you had been hurt," Rossi continued, trying to help Morgan see past his anger to the pain of his partner. "You _know_ Emily is a guarded person, she's been raised to act like she has it all together all the time and so it takes a lot to affect her; it's hard for her to trust anyone. But when she _does _let someone in, it's wholeheartedly. And she _has _let you in Morgan. You don't have to be a profiler to know you two share a special bond. You're partners, you put your very lives in the hands of the other every day. You are two of the closest members on this team because not only do you protect one another out of duty to your job, you do it because you care about each other. This team is the closest thing we all have to a family. So don't let her think for a minute that it isn't worth it. Don't make her regret opening up to you," Rossi concluded with a sharp but sympathetic look in Morgan's direction.

Morgan stood open-mouthed at David Rossi. Derek Morgan didn't usually like being told what to do, but this time, he knew the other agent was right. He had just been to upset to realize it. Sure he had every right to be angry; to want to take revenge on his attacker; but he couldn't forget about the ones who cared about him – the way Prentiss did.

"Thanks Rossi," Morgan said with sincerity. To which Rossi simply responded with a nod of his head in the direction Emily had wandered. And at that, Morgan rushed to find her, pain still shooting through his body, but still only focusing on finding her. He finally saw her small frame and dark hair by one of the ambulances. She had just finished talking to another agent. He made his way to her, Rossi watching with a knowing smile on his face from his place on the steps.

"Emily…" Derek began softly as he reached for her arm to gently turn her around to face him. "Emily, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way. I was being selfish and I didn't even stop to think about anyone else's feelings."

"Derek, I'm fine. Really."

Morgan gave her a look that conveyed every form of disbelief possible, causing realization to finally dawn on Emily. "I'm going to kill Rossi…" she huffed as she put her hands on her hips while still trying to hold it together.

"Look, I was just angry… I still am. But don't think for a minute I'm not happy to be alive. And more than anything else, thankful to have a partner who cares so much."

"You don't have to be sorry. You have every right to be angry. It's just that after I heard you were hurt, I realized how close this guy came to tearing this team apart. When I heard he had gotten to you," she said, taking a shallow breath as she attempted to maintain her composure. "I realized how close I had come to having to bury a partner… a friend… to almost losing you."

"Hey, I'll _always_ be here," Morgan said gently, pulling her into a hug that she instantly melted into. Emily tried to be careful not to hurt his injuries, but he couldn't feel anymore pain, he could only feel her warmth. "You know you can't get rid of me that easy, Princess. I'm too stubborn, just like someone else I know," he added with a wink as they pulled back to meet one another's gaze, but were still locked in an embrace and both oblivious to the fact that David Rossi was looking on with a knowing smile.

So though Penelope brought Derek homemade soup, it was Prentiss to checked on him the most. Falling asleep on his couch after taking care of him the way he had taken care of her after her beating from Cyrus. They always spent time together – both at work and outside of it – so it wasn't really anything new or uncommon. But every instance like this, brought a new appreciation for one another, as partners, as friends, and though they didn't know it yet, as something even more…

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment down below :)**


	13. Lonely 5x06

_Hello my dears! Here is a new chapter – Trust me it's a bit of fluff for sure but it's just a little something that will hopefully make you smile. _

_Again, thank you _criss128, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, Megz17, zackgibra, AnnKa, Nix1978, ayanamonique, BulletStrong, nimallvr4eva, tashak, gemus, michan92 – and ESPECIALLY jhplug: this one is for you! _You are all beyond FABULOUS!_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment!_

**Lonely**

**5x06 – The Eyes Have It**

"_When I am with you, we stay up all night. When you're not here, I can't go to sleep. Praise God for those two insomnias! And the difference between them." - Rumi_

That Friday morning, the BAU were all at their desks working on paperwork, finished with their latest case. Special Agent Derek Morgan made his way to the small kitchenette where all the main FBI offices were... Where his old desk was. It was his third cup of coffee that day and fifth trip to the main room of offices. And it was only 11:00 in the morning. But he didn't care. Derek Morgan couldn't deny that he loved his new office, but he had to admit that he was lonely. He missed interacting with the team, talking with Emily and picking on Reid. But as he looked around the busy area his gaze moved over to where it seemed to go all morning... Where it used to go every morning... But to his disappointment, Emily wasn't at her desk this time.

"Hey Morgan," said Reid, pulling Derek out of his thoughts.

"Hey kid," he replied.

"You must be exhausted."

"What?" Morgan asked.

"That's your third cup of coffee just this morning. Long night?"

"Ummm, no. Just drowning in boring paperwork," Derek replied, that was true but it certainly wasn't the main reason he had come to the kitchen again. "Hey, have you seen Emily?"

"Actually you just missed her," Reid replied, missing the now obvious reason for Derek's visit that someone like JJ would have deduced on Morgan's SECOND cup of coffee. "She stepped away from her desk a few minutes ago."

"Oh ok," Derek said, trying to hide his disappointment. "I was just going to have her look at a case I'm consulting on," he quickly added the lie. "Well I'll just catch her later then."

"Alright,"' Reid said. "See you later Morgan!"

"Bye Reid." Morgan called with a wave as be walked slowly back in the direction of his new office, his head down. He turned in the direction of his door when he was knocked off balance, almost spilling his coffee as he heard a startled gasp.

He looked up to see what had happened and subsequently found what he had been looking for all this time… Emily Prentiss was standing in front of him with her signature thousand-watt smile spread across her face at the sight of him. He returned the smile instantly – after all, it was one of his favorite things.

"Prentiss!" Morgan said excitedly.

"Hi!" she replied with equal enthusiasm. "I was just looking for you but you were out of your office," before he could respond, she looked down to see the full coffee cup in his hand. "More coffee? What is that the _fourth _time today?"

"_Third _thank you very much. What can I say? It's an addiction." Morgan replied with a wink, realizing deep down that the addiction he spoke of was not coffee but the woman standing in front of him. "But it's a habit I don't ever want to quit," he added. "So, what can I do for you today, Princess?"

"I was hoping you could help me with this case file. I'm buried in paperwork but I'm really stumped and I could use a fresh pair of eyes," Emily replied. Of course she could have asked Reid… she could even have figured it out herself, but she hated how now that Morgan had his own office, she couldn't just swivel around in her chair and get his attention without saying a word – it was a partner thing… they just knew when they needed each other. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Derek said with a smile, thrilled at the time he was going to get to spend with his partner. "After you," he gestured into his office with a flourish of his hand. Emily returned his smile as Derek's hand gently brushed across the small of her back.

They sat down: Derek in his chair and Emily in what would become her usual spot for cases to come – chair pulled up close to his desk, directly across from him. They were comfortable in Derek's new office – not because of their surroundings or the privacy it offered, but simply because they were together – and that was all the comfort they needed.

They discussed cases for almost an hour, until they knew they had to go back to their own work before any other agents noticed how long Prentiss had been gone. But the moment she left, they both felt the loneliness creep in again.

Hours passed into late afternoon and finally into the evening. Derek found himself wanting to walk to Prentiss' desk to consult about a case or just talk the way they always did, but he knew he had to get used to this new setup, no matter how much he disliked being away from his partner. And he wasn't the only one. Prentiss would catch herself spinning around in her chair, about to start talking to Derek, only to remember he wasn't there – she tried not to let her disappointment show but even Reid gave her a look of confusion once in a while. Everyone started to go home around nightfall, and soon… only a few agents were left in the building – two of which, were Agents Morgan and Prentiss, still buried in case files.

So Derek got his coffee again. But this time, it was Emily who brought it to him. She knocked on his door and his face went from one of gloom to absolute bliss the moment he looked up and saw her standing in front of him. "I brought you this," Emily said, handing him the coffee cup.

"What is this for?" Morgan asked with a grin; but then of course he didn't really care – as long as he got to see her again.

"Well I know I shouldn't be supporting your addiction," she said, smiling at the joke from earlier. "But it's actually a bribe. I have another case file for you to look over but it looks like you're buried in about as much paperwork as I am," she said regretfully. "I'll just have Reid look at it." Emily began to turn but Derek quickly stood up.

"No, no…" he began. "I've got time. I'm going to be here all night anyway." Derek said with a less than amused look.

"Me too…" Emily said with a frown. "This new office thing is really putting a cramp in my style. I can't just use you to do all my hard cases for me anymore," she added. "And it's not nearly as fun to make fun of Reid without you." she added.

"Tell me about it!" Derek said. "It's way too quiet in here. And I'm pretty sure I've accomplished _less _work than I would have at my old desk. It's not that I'm not grateful to Garcia but it's just…" he paused as he looked into her eyes, "different."

"I know, but you deserve it. You've done a great job leading this team. I'm really proud of you," Emily added sincerely.

"Thanks," he replied. "But I didn't realize being team leader meant being so lonely."

"It doesn't have to be. I've got an idea," Prentiss said, a gleam in her eye. "I'll buy you dinner in exchange for help with these files. And if you're nice, I'll even help you with yours," she said excitedly. "Only if you want to though," she added, second-guessing herself.

"I would like nothing better," he responded instantly. "Deal."

So Emily ordered their dinner, while Derek – always the gentleman – carried her heavy load of case files to his own office. He made plenty of room for her to work on his large desk – directly across from him. They sat facing one another, eating their dinner, working on case files, talking and laughing. And when their hands would brush lightly against one another, they tried to shrug off the feeling of warmth they instantly felt. This was how Derek and Emily were used to working – together, side-by-side. So they were able to get more accomplished in those few hours than they had all day.

But soon the stack of unopened case files completely disappeared and they knew their time had come to a close. Derek walked Emily to the elevator and they stepped into the parking deck together. "Thanks for your help today," he began.

"No, thank you!" she protested. "I would never have been able to finish all of those files without your help."

"I could say the same," Derek said. "We might just have to make this a tradition. It might be the only way we'll actually get any work done," he laughed. "What do you say? Lunch or dinner and case files in my office once a week? I'll buy next time!"

"Done," replied Emily with a grin. "As long as you don't forget to come visit us out there at the desks. I still need your help picking on Reid."

"Anytime Princess," Morgan winked as he watched to make sure she got into her car safely. Then he proceeded to walk to his own car and drive home, smiling all the way.

And they _did _make their weekly caseload files a partnership tradition – sure they were together in the field but they missed their talks and laughter in the office. So they made sure they spent time together there anyway. They told themselves they really needed help with cases but they both knew the truth – they were more than capable of doing their cases on their own, but this new arrangement ultimately took away the time they spent together – and for them, that was one of the best parts of their job: the comfort of spending time with their best friend.

So almost every week they didn't have a case, one of them bought dinner, they spread their files across Derek's desk, and worked for hours on their paperwork. Sometimes Derek would move to his couch, and in his comfort and exhaustion, fall asleep, case file still in hand. And every time, Emily would finish his case files for him, and gently move over to her sleeping partner, and rub her hand across his shoulder. "Morgan," she would whisper, then using his first name if that didn't work. And he finally he would stir, smiling up at the face he awoke to, thinking to himself how nice it would be to wake up to that face everyday, but catching himself before his thoughts went too far.

She would tell him that all the work was done and it was time to go home. Then each time he would protest, but each time she would just smile and hand him his coat, gesturing him to follow her out the door and he would run to walk by her side.

And so the tradition continued. But the first night Derek had too much paperwork to do after Doyle had come and ruined both of their lives, he couldn't bear to be in his office another minute… another second without her. So he would take it all home, and try not to think about just another of his favorite things he missed about her. But of course he did, and he would do his paperwork as they had always done and he would always fall asleep on his own couch in his house. But this time it was from his tears and not exhaustion. And even though she wouldn't be there to finish his paperwork and wake him softly, she would always be there in his dreams…

**Hope you enjoyed it! I'll try to update soon but don't forget to leave a comment below!**


	14. Sleep 5x11

Hello all! So here is a brand new chapter of my "Missing Moments" series that I really hope you enjoy. Special shout out to _Nix 1978, AnnKa, Lenika08, zackgibra, vampiresrockroza, ayanamonique, _and_ erica1021_ who have been such faithful readers. You guys are the best!

I can't wait to put up more but I _really really really _need you to REVIEW! It's even simpler now with the little comment box so go do it! I know you can! And I'll write more & faster if you enjoy it!

I do not own Criminal Minds because if I did, there would be no need for fanfiction because it would all be on your TV screens.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

**Sleep**

_**Retaliation **_**– 5x11**

"_**We are such stuff**_

_**As dreams are made on, and our little life **_

_**Is rounded with a sleep."**_

_**-William Shakespeare-**_

_**The Tempest (4.1.168-170)**___

Emily's head had never hurt so badly. She walked through the bullpen of the BAU slowly and cautiously, afraid she might lose her balance since she couldn't see straight from the pain of her concussion as well as her complete lack of sleep - and food for that matter - in the past 48 hours didn't help either. She had just returned from splashing her face with cold water for what seemed like the millionth time that day just to try and stay awake.

Emily had just a few more files to work through after returning from the end of this last case and then she could go home and sleep through the whole weekend. She was almost to her desk when she saw Derek Morgan walking at remarkable speed towards her carrying two bags. He grabbed her hand and spun her around mid-stride, guiding her towards the elevators.

"Morgan… what are you doing? I have to go finish processing those files." Emily stated exasperatedly as she stopped in place, in no mood for games.

"Oh no you're not!" Morgan said in disbelief that Prentiss would even think of working anymore after all she had been through. "You are going straight home and going straight to bed. Those files are going to have to wait until Monday morning."

"No… Morgan, I'll feel better once I get them done. I'll have all weekend to sleep," Emily countered.

Derek looked at her with a persistent stare and Emily had an inkling that she wasn't going to win this fight. "I know you are stubborn but this time I am not taking no for an answer. I'm not done pushing you around Princess." Emily smirked, remembering his words to her in the hospital as he wheeled her out to the car and lifted her into the passenger seat with ease.

She was finally pulled out of her memory as she noticed they were still holding hands and was too late to pull her own back before he realized the effects the approaching dizziness was having on her. "Emily, you're shaking. You're exhausted! That's it. You are going home, taking your medicine, and getting sleep like the doctor said you had to. I already broke my promise to him that you wouldn't be out in the field. I'm not going to make your condition any worse."

Emily just looked at Morgan, knowing he was going to have his way and she didn't mind letting him – even if it killed her to be treated like a baby. Morgan pulled her along in to the elevator as he informed her that, with the help of JJ, he had Reid covering her files and he had already put together all of her personal items from her desk and had them over his shoulder with his own go-bag.

Of course Prentiss wasn't surprised in the least that he had taken care of everything while thinking of her. Morgan was protective of everyone on the team simply by nature, but he was always over protective of her. Though she could never understand why. If anything, she had proven herself in the field better than any other team member but Derek always took the most care of her – sometimes even more than Penelope Garcia herself. After her beating and near death by Cyrus, Emily had never seen a man more overprotective, caring and attentive to her. Morgan had stayed by her side after that case for days. Emily naively just couldn't understand why, even if everyone else could.

They made it to the parking deck and Morgan made an executive decision to leave his car there and he would drive Emily home in her own. He placed the bags in the trunk and moved to help her into the passenger seat, apologizing profusely anytime Emily winced at her broken ribs and bruised limbs. Not only had the car accident taken its toll, but also Joe Muller throwing her up against a car had not helped matters. She remembered with a smile how angry Morgan had become the moment Muller had touched her, and how he threw himself onto him to pull him off of her and tending to her now more bruised ribs because of the incident with great concern and gentleness.

They drove through the darkness of the night. The soft rocking of the car only enhanced Emily's sleepiness but Derek intentionally kept her awake so she could eat and take her pain medicine the doctor had prescribed _before_, as he put it, she slept as long as she liked.

He stopped at the Chinese restaurant they always ordered take-out from whenever they worked late at the office, watched a movie or just got hungry after workouts together. Derek had already called in their regular order and they were back on the road to Emily's almost instantly.

He parked outside of the apartment building he had helped her find two years previously after she found out about all of his projects and properties. Though she protested, he insisted on helping her all the way to her home upstairs.

Once they were inside, Derek got dinner and her medicine ready as Emily took a quick shower. He laughed at the sight before him as he emerged in the FBI t-shirt he had let her borrow when they were working on one of his houses and a nail had ripped her own. "I am never getting that back, am I?" he asked with a grin.

"Nope. Never," Emily matched his grin as she replied. "Now give me food!" Emily said as she reached out her hands for the plate Derek had made for her. But he didn't give her the plate until she sat on the couch and insisted she was comfortable despite her groans of pain as she adjusted herself.

"Seriously, if this is the kind of treatment I get when I'm injured then I should do it more often!" Emily joked earning only a stern look from Derek in return as he sat down beside her with his own dinner.

They turned on the television and found a movie on Emily's DVR that they both loved. But as they finished their dinner, Derek made Emily take her medicine, which took affect almost instantly. So halfway through the movie, Emily began sinking lower into the couch as her eyes became droopy once more. And as the movie continued into its final scenes, Emily had fallen into a deep sleep and unconsciously maneuvered her way closer to Derek so that her head now rested on his arm.

As the credits began to roll and he looked down, Derek couldn't help but smile at Emily. She was in a deep and peaceful sleep with a soft, contented smile on her own face. He took a moment to just look at his partner so relaxed because he so rarely saw her this way. She was usually so tough, deep in thought and ready for action when they were at work and on cases she never seemed to be able to relax. And he rarely even saw her asleep. He could count on one hand the times he had seen Emily sleep on the plane. He never understood why – little did he know that in a few years, he would finally find out the truth of why sleep terrified his mysterious friend.

It was getting late and Derek didn't want Emily's injuries getting any worse by sleeping on a couch so he gently maneuvered his way out from under Emily and got off the couch. He knew he could wake her, but her medicine had finally kicked in and he knew she desperately needed sleep. As he reached down and scooped her up in his arms like a child, he thought back to their time in the hospital the night before.

***Flashback***

"Morgan, I'm fine!" Emily exclaimed for what felt like the thousandth time, frustrated at his over protective treatment of her ever since he had found her at the scene of the accident. Derek had stayed by her side the whole time, yelling at paramedics to come assess her injuries despite Emily's constant protests.

He rode by her side in the back of the ambulance to the hospital as well. The paramedics didn't seem to mind seeing as how Morgan was the only one she would actually listen to when she was given instructions. She would argue that she didn't need medical attention but Morgan would give her one look as he said her name and she would huff and instantly obey the paramedics' orders.

They finally reached the hospital and she argued with him the whole way to the examination room, in the examination room and also with the doctors. But he argued right back, always winning because he reminded her that her health was more important than any case they had – the team was taking care of it.

He unwillingly left her side during her examination, but only for the shortest amount of time possible, in order to speak with Schrader's daughter and ex-wife. He also called JJ to keep her informed on Emily's situation and also the case but he returned to a still feisty and irritated Emily only moments later.

The doctor informed him – after telling Morgan he was lucky Emily survived at all - that she did indeed have a concussion and she would not be permitted to sleep for the next four to six hours, due to the possibility of a coma. But he told Morgan that Emily would soon need rest and the medications he prescribed after she was released and also minimal field time for a while. Derek could see Emily's not-so-subtle eye roll as the doctor said this and began formulating a plan to make sure she didn't risk her health anymore.

Emily had to stay in the hospital for two hours for evaluation and then she would be released. A nurse – who, like many others at the hospital, mistook them for a couple, came into the room to give her the first dose of medication and soon her fighting spirit wavered, and sleepiness kicked in.

Finally, Derek and Emily were alone in the hospital room and Emily was finally calming down. He had pulled up a chair by her bed watching her intently for any signs of a coma the doctor warned could come with such an intense accident like Emily had been in.

"Morgan, I'm fine! Can't we just go now?" Emily exclaimed again, finally getting his attention. But her energy was wearing thin. Derek just looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Emily you were just flipped in a car multiple times. You have bruised and broken ribs, a black eye, a concussion, and stitches in your arm – just to name a few things. You are not going until you are cleared by Dr. Shore."

"But Schrader is still out there…" Emily protested. However, Morgan cut her off too quickly.

"The team is handling it. It's ok. You just need to feel better and rest."

Emily simply huffed in response as she snuggled further into her hospital bed. Her droopy eyes began making heavy blinks and finally closing. "Emily you have to stay awake." Derek continued. "You can't go to sleep for a few more hours now because of your concussion."

"I told you I'm fine, Derek. I'm tired, that's normal. You said I needed rest. Sleeping won't hurt me. Then I'll be ready to help on the case when I get released." Emily stated as she rolled over to face him, eyes still closed.

"Emily!" Derek said in a frustrated tone that caused Emily's eyes to pop open instantly. "You _cannot_ go to sleep! You could go into a coma. You were already hurt enough in an accident that _I_ should have been in instead of you. And I am not going to let anything else happen to you – especially not a coma! You're lucky to be alive and I plan to keep it that way if I have anything to do about it. So you are staying awake."

Emily simply looked at Derek with wide eyes in her state of surprise but her guilt began to kick in. She knew she had a close call; she'd had so many in her life. But she didn't like to think about them and would simply compartmentalize – something she did extremely well. But as she listened to Derek's concern and thought of his response when Cyrus had hurt her, Emily began to understand. "I'm sorry…" she started. "I'll try to stay awake. Really, I will." Emily looked at him sincerely as she reached for his hand and continued. "I didn't mean to be difficult… it's just that I hate not being useful. I'm just slowing everybody down."

"Hey…" Derek said softly. "We're just happy you're alive. I don't know what I would have done if I would have found that car accident too late. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself losing the best partner I've ever had." Emily just smiled at the compliment he paid her. "Promise me you won't scare me like that again. Because I'm sick of you getting hurt!"

Emily just laughed. "You think _you're_ sick of it!"

They both smiled as they began to talk about past mishaps, cases, and then onto things not at all related to work. Derek was making sure Emily stayed awake - as she would let her eyes close he would whisper her name and reach for her hand to keep her awake even though her medicine was fighting her. So despite her exhaustion, Emily let him keep her awake – she would open her eyes with a look of annoyance but accompanied by a smile and not argue.

The two hours passed quickly enough and Dr. Shore finally came to evaluate Emily for release. When he cleared her, Morgan insisted on going to get the car to pull it out front while Emily filled out her paperwork.

Even once he had put her in the car and they drove to pharmacy and then to the BAU, he made sure she stayed awake – he would talk to her, make her laugh just because he was thankful he got another chance to see her smile, and when the car would rock her into a peaceful, he would gently squeeze her hand to keep her with him until they could get coffee in their systems at the BAU.

***Flashback***

Derek smiled at the memory as he carried a sleeping and finally non-argumentative Emily to her bedroom and placed her in the bed. He was as gentle as possible so he wouldn't hurt her bruised frame anymore. But just before he was about to leave her, Emily stirred slightly and mumbled his name.

"Hey…" he whispered as he grabbed her hand that had reached out in the darkness, "It's okay. Go to sleep.

"So _now _I can sleep?" Emily questioned mockingly.

"Yes… _now_ you can sleep." Derek laughed softly. "I'll be right out there if you need anything."

"You always take care of me…" Emily whispered groggily as she looked up at Derek with a lazy but appreciative smile.

"And I always will. You're my partner… and my friend." Derek responded without missing a beat, a smile accompanying every word he spoke finished off with a wink in her direction. Emily's eyes closed but her smile remained. "Goodnight Princess…"

Though she was almost asleep and losing awareness of her surroundings rapidly, she knew she felt Derek's lips sweep her forehead as his hands swept through her hair.

Emily's smile stayed on her face all night and into the morning. Even when she woke up with her body aching even worse than the day before, because she found Derek sleeping on her couch curled up in a rather uncomfortable looking position, and she couldn't hide the smile of gratitude and adoration that illuminated her face in the joy of having Derek Morgan in her life.

**Hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to leave a comment!**


	15. Princess 5x17

_**This is a collection of one-shots that are all based upon the Criminal Minds episode cannon. I am essentially inserting missing moments or scenes, I as a Demily shipper, believe were part of the overall storyline of these episodes. Each chapter is tagged to an episode. And I am sorry but they are not in order.**_

_**Reviews are a writer's best friend so please click that little button and review. Hope you enjoy!**_

_**[Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or anything associated with it…]**_

"_**Princess"**_

Episode Tag: The Solitary Man 5x17

_**Angela: Booth must be cute with his grandpa, huh?**_

_**Brennan: His grandfather calls him shrimp. Booth seems to like it, which I don't understand.**_

_**Angela: Well, it's because it makes him feel loved, like when he actually was a shrimp.**_

_**Brennan: So the moniker is a sign of affection?**_

_**Angela: Very good, Brennan. You never had a nickname?**_

_**Brennan: Oh, no, just what Booth calls me; just Bones.**_

It had been a long and tiresome day. Special Agents Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss arrived in Edgewood early that morning and had begun visiting dump sites and questioning every one they could to get to the bottom of the mystery of who was killing these women. Yet for every lead they attempted to follow, it only ended in more questions, leaving their efforts futile and resulting in an empty-handed return to the police station around 10 o'clock that night. The others on the team were already in for the night and Hotch suggested that they too go to the hotel and get some rest so they could look at the case with a new and fresh perspective tomorrow. Morgan and Prentiss rode along in the Government Issue SUV in a comfortable silence as their exhaustion finally caught up with them.

"You know what we forgot to do today?" asked Morgan as the realization dawned on him.

"What?" Prentiss replied concernedly as she ran through the day's events at a frantic pace in her mind. She was methodical and by-the-book when it came to investigating cases. She understood the importance of paying close attention to each detail as they explored every possible facet of a case in order to find the Unsub they were hunting before they claimed another victim. One small mistake or oversight could mean another life would be lost before they apprehended their killer.

"Whoa, slow down Princess!" Morgan responded with a laugh. "It's not anything to do with the case," he continued. "We didn't eat lunch or dinner."

"Oh," said Prentiss, relief washing over her and calming her nerves. "You're right. After we landed this morning we got right to work. I didn't even realize how hungry I was until you said that."

"Well I thought that would happen. So how do you feel about some food before we go back?" Morgan inquired with a smile.

And that did it. She may have been tired: with sore feet and an aching back begging for relief in a nice warm bed after a long, hot bath. But when she saw that dazzling smile she couldn't resist. Because for her, that was really all she needed so much more than that bath or soft pillow. All the evil they saw on a daily basis drained her emotions, her soul - no matter how much she tried to deny it. She had been great at compartmentalizing her feelings from the job her entire life but they were still there, gnawing away at the container within her heart slowly but ever so surely.

So when Derek Morgan, her partner and many times, her protector, flashed her that smile in the middle of an atmosphere that felt so stifling with its horror filled images and sick mind games, it always rejuvenated her spirits to know she had someone she could count on no matter what, who felt the same way she did even if he didn't like to admit it either.

"Of course," she responded with a sense of renewed enthusiasm. "There's a restaurant up ahead to the left."

"Well actually I had my mind set on a place if you're up for a surprise. I noticed it when we were out earlier and every since then, well I've kind of been craving it."

"Okay, I'm up for anything as long as its food" Prentiss started with a grin. "Except Italian. Anything but Italian."

"Rossi wouldn't like to hear you say that!" Derek replied with an infectious chuckle.

"Well he doesn't have to know" Prentiss whispered along with a chuckle she couldn't resist. "It's just that he talks about all of these different Italian dishes all the time even _thinking_ about it makes me sick of it!"

"I know what you mean. But no worries, this place is _definitely_ not Italian!" As he said his last statement, he pointed through the window with one hand as the other maneuvered the steering wheel into the parking lot of a 24-hour diner. "How do you feel about breakfast for dinner Miss Prentiss?" he added with a wink.

"That sounds amazing!"

Derek parked the car and they both alighted. As they quickly made their way into the nearly empty diner, sounds of thunder resounded in the distance coupled with spontaneous flashes of lightning that illuminated the landscape against the night sky signaling a powerful storm was coming their way, little did they know it wasn't the only storm they would have to face tonight.

Emily couldn't help but smile slightly as Morgan opened the door for her and escorted her into the restaurant with the tiniest touch on the small of her back. Even after years of growing comfortable with one another through their partnership, he had never stopped gentlemanly tendencies like these. She secretly thanked Fran Morgan for instilling these qualities in her only son because she knew she could have just as easily been partnered with a real jerk. Derek may joke around about his supposed playboy lifestyle but Prentiss was one of the only ones who knew the truth about the fact that his playboy image was just a front and just how much of a gentleman Derek Morgan really was. And she was thankful for it every day.

They both slid into a corner booth beside the window that was now being lightly sprinkled with raindrops. They ordered – both avoiding coffee as they anticipated the night of sleep their bodies so craved. As usual, conversation flowed effortlessly. They were familiar and comfortable with one another. They talked about the case, their love of Kurt Vonnegut, Emily asked about a leaky faucet at her apartment and Derek promised to fix it, and when Emily couldn't finish her blueberry pancakes, Derek cleaned her plate in a matter of seconds – earning himself a wide-eyed look of shock and a slight grin from Emily.

But a stifled yawn followed close behind her smile and Derek suggested they go get some sleep. The thunder and lightning resounded close in the distance as they approached the register. Morgan went to pay for his meal first. However, when Emily went to pay for hers, she was informed it had already been taken care of.

"Morgan, you didn't have to do that!" she said with a mix of thankfulness and frustration.

"I know. But it was kind of my fault we didn't stop to eat today and I did eat almost half of your pancakes." Derek retorted with a smile and a wink that made Emily's stomach flutter ever so subtly.

Emily couldn't argue, so she thanked him genuinely. But as she was finishing her statement, Morgan reached for his buzzing phone. "Morgan" he answered. Emily watched intently as his expression changed from one of joy to one of dread. He hung up the phone slowly and looked at her.

"This can't be good" Emily surmised – unsure whether or not she wanted to know the reason for the late call.

"I'm afraid not. We've got another development on the case and Hotch wants us on the scene."

Prentiss released a frustrated breath. "Alright, well in that case I really need to use the Ladies Room first if you don't mind."

"Not at all. I'll go get the car. The rain is coming down pretty hard out there."

Only minutes later, Emily was rushing out the door of the diner where Derek was waiting with the car pulled up front so she could stay as dry as possible. Emily hopped in the passenger seat holding two very large coffee cups.

"If we're going to be up we're going to need some energy. Here you go," she said as she handed him one of the cups and they sped off to the crime scene.

"Mmmm I like the way you think Princess" he said as he took a sip. "Thank you."

"Of course. But you better be careful or Garcia is going to get jealous."

Morgan looked at her quizzically. "What do mean?" he asked, clearly not following.

"Garcia is going to get jealous if she finds out you are calling me by the nicknames you use for her."

"What?" Derek questioned.

"_Princess,_" she emphasized with a smirk.

"Oh," Morgan responded, unsure of how to proceed and a bit embarrassed. The battle within his mind waged at lightning speed. Should he tell her the truth? Or should he just shrug it off?

"Well, yeah… I do have a lot of nicknames for Garcia. And she has plenty for me," he started. He was still thinking about his response but as he looked into his partner's eyes honesty finally won out. He proceeded carefully, "No, Garcia doesn't like to share but _Princess_ is special. I don't call her that; it's on reserve. I only use it for one person" he paused. He took a deep breath and continued softly, "You."

Emily's breath caught in her chest as her stomach began to feel uneasy. She and Derek were both partners and close friends. They shared an extra special connection because knew each other better than most of the team members simply because they trusted one another with their very lives everyday. She never felt uncomfortable around him, she felt safe. But why all of the sudden did she feel flutters rising in her stomach and a tightening in her throat. She tried to keep calm and control her emotions the way she had always been taught. But inside, she felt like she never wanted to stop smiling. Morgan had a nickname for her – for _only_ her. She'd never really had a nickname. She chided herself for getting so excited but she'd never had a nickname and she secretly relished in the attention she so rarely received.

"Oh… really?" she proceeded cautiously, attempting to reign in her emotions.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to, I mean…" Derek mumbled.

"Hey, it's ok" Emily responded, brushing her hand against his fingers resting on the coffee cup in its holder. "I've just never had a nickname before. So thank you, really. It means a lot. I've actually never had a nickname before" she finished, sounding a bit more like a giddy school-girl than she had wanted.

This put Derek at ease. Sure he had plenty of nicknames for Garcia. She was one of his best friends. But to him Emily was special and he wanted to make sure she knew it by making sure she felt that way every day.

They rode along, stealing glances and hidden smiles at one another as they casually talked the way they always did, and they knew another stone was being set in the foundation of their relationship tonight, knowing it was growing stronger and delving deeper every day. They both wondered and even secretly hoped the other's feelings ran as deep as their own but the hopes were dashed every time they thought of the confines of their job and it's requirements. But their thoughts were interrupted as they arrived at the rest stop where their Unsub had claimed his next victim.

"Wait, you don't have a your coat and it's freezing out there." Derek sounded his thoughts aloud.

"Oh I left it at the station!" Emily realized.

"No worries. I've got one in the back in my go-bag. Take this one and I'll grab it." Derek pulled off his warm wool coat and handed it to Emily.

"It's alright. You don't have to."

"Don't argue with me Princess" Derek stated with a pointed smile as he reached into the back seat and pulled out his leather jacket for himself. Emily began putting on the wool coat, secretly relishing in the warm feel and familiar smell of the jacket. She wasn't sure if he would ever get it back. Much like the FBI training shirt she still hadn't washed of his that he had given her to sleep in when she had inadvertently stayed with him after Cyrus had beaten her. Though she would never admit it, some nights when Doyle revisited her in her dreams, she would pull it out and inhale the familiar scent of Derek Morgan, and feel safe in the remembrance of her protector. Emily wrapped her arms around herself and smiled inwardly as she once more inhaled the intoxicating smell of Derek Morgan.

"Thank you" she said before descending from the SUV.

"I'll _always _take care of you Princess. That's a promise." And Derek flashed that smile that could make just about anyone go weak at the knees, but Emily knew – along with the nickname – it was meant just for her. And as his phone began to ring and Morgan answered his 'Baby Girl," Emily knew no matter what nicknames those two threw back and forth, she – and only she - would always be his Princess.


	16. Strong Safety 5x19

_Hello all! I hope you are all doing well. Here is my new chapter. I know I said I would update soon but hopefully this chapter will make up for it – it's SUPER long but I hope you like it!_

_A HUGE thank you to all my fabulous reviewers: So _ , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong _and _animallvr4eva_ and ESPECIALLY _criss128 and jhplug and AnnKa and Nix1978, _I love you all!_

_So here's some pure Demily fluff from what I have added to the end of the lovely Demily episode "Rite of Passage."_

_And no, I do not own CM – because there would be no need for fanfics if I did ;)_

**Strong Safety**

**[5x19 – Rite of Passage]**

"_People protect what they love."_

_**Jacques Yves Cousteau**_

Emily's ear had never hurt so badly. She had tried to push through the pain, but it was proving to be increasingly more difficult as the day wore on.

The team was wrapping up the case, getting prepared to fly out. They were all at the police station working, but Morgan was anything but focused. He was supposed to be filing the preliminary interviews but his gaze always found its way over to his partner across the room.

Every time she would touch her ear delicately or made a pained face, he would wince as guilt washing over him. He knew he shouldn't feel that way but it didn't change a thing. He thought back to that moment in the desert after Emily had yelled at him.

_Derek turned back to look in the direction Emily had gone and he saw that she was leaning up against the car, holding a hand over her ear, trying to look tough but the pain on her face betrayed her._

"_Go on…" Rossi gestured to him. "I believe you've got a lot of groveling to do."_

"_He was shooting at us! I was protecting her and she has the audacity to get mad at me!?"_

Rossi nodded his head in agreement, but his pointed look told Derek that he had better walk over to his partner, and fast.

_Derek walked towards Prentiss, frustration evident on his face and in his mannerisms. But the moment he saw the pain on her face, his anger evaporated and was instantly replaced with the worry he felt only moments ago when the unsub was so dangerously close to killing her._

"_Emily," he said softly as he moved to stand in front of her. "I am so sorry. What can I do?"_

"_No, It's not your fault. I shouldn't have gotten angry with you. You were just protecting us. I'm the one who is sorry,"_

"_But I could have warned you…"_

"_You were right though. A maniac shooting at us kind of was a bit of a warning," she smirked and began to laugh; only to wince again and reach up for her ear once more._

"_Em, you've got to get that looked at."_

"_No Morgan. I'm fine. I'll be fine. Come on, let's go help Rossi and Hotch," Emily said as she began to walk away; as always, trying to hide the pain she was in. Derek simply shook his head as he followed close behind, his worry for his partner ever-present as his guilt grew._

But as Derek looked onto his partner now, he knew she was anything but fine. So he stood up and made his way over to where she was working. "Prentiss," he said softly to get her attention.

"Hi," she said as she turned to face him, putting on a smile so she could continue to try to hide her pain.

"You really need to get that looked at."

"Morgan, I told you, I'm fine."

"No you're not. I've been watching you, I know it still hurts," he said, earning a roll of the eyes from her – because she knew that more than anyone else, she couldn't hide the truth from him. "Em…" he continued. "It's my fault this happened so please just let me take you to the doctor… Just so they can take a look! Please…?"

She looked up into his pleading face, knowing her outburst in the desert had brought on the guilt that was killing Derek inside, so she knew she couldn't argue with him anymore. "Alright," she conceded. "But as long as you promise to _stop _worrying and blaming yourself once the doctor says that I am _fine_!"

"Maybe… only _if _he says your fine," Derek countered. "But I'll never stop worrying about you Princess," he added with a wink.

So Derek told Hotch he was taking Prentiss to the doctor to have the damage to her eardrum checked. Naturally, their unit chief was not at all surprised at the agent's concern for his partner, so he gave them his blessing.

However, despite Emily's insistence that she was all right, the report from the doctor soon informed her that her eardrum was more damaged than she thought. Looking on with concern, Morgan was in the room with her when the doctor began to give his diagnosis. "You were very luck Agent Prentiss. Your eardrum is not ruptured. However, it has suffered trauma as a result of the gunshot. I will prescribe you pain medication as well as ear drops you need to administer three to four times a day for a week so it can heal. Oh, and no swimming or flying for at least 48 hours."

"No flying?" Emily exclaimed in protest. "But my team and I are flying back to D.C. this afternoon and I have to be on that plane."

"Well unless you want a completely ruptured eardrum that can only be cured through surgery, I suggest you stay very low to the ground for the next two days," he replied.

Before Emily could protest further, Derek put out a hand for the doctor to shake and cut her off. "She will, Doctor. I'll make sure of that. Thank you very much for your help."

The two men shook hands while Prentiss merely sat on the exam room table with a look of disdain. Doctor Miller made his way out of the room and Derek turned to Emily. "Don't," she commanded before he could speak.

"Don't what?" he responded.

"_Don't_ say 'I told you so,'" she replied as she stood up and made her way out the door. He simply smiled and ran off to catch up with her.

The agents picked up Emily's medicine, much to her chagrin. But Derek wouldn't let her do anything but follow the doctor's orders. When they arrived at the police station, the team was still swamped, working on files and forms to fill out before they could fly out. Hotch had just finished consulting with JJ when Morgan approached him, Emily close behind. "Hotch," he said, getting his attention.

"Morgan, Prentiss," he acknowledged him. "What did the doctor say?"

"Well he _thinks_ that…" Emily began but was cut off by Morgan.

"Emily's eardrum is damaged. She can't fly for _at least _48 hours."

"I'll be fine!" she protested in a frustrated tone. "I have medicine and it's a short flight."

"Emily you _cannot_ be serious!" Morgan exclaimed as he turned to look at her with disbelief.

"I agree with Morgan," Hotch added. "I know how painful ear injuries can be, you need to do as the doctor orders." Emily huffed in defeat but allowed him to continue. "Look it's only Wednesday. So just stay here until you can fly back over the weekend – I'll put you on medical leave."

But Hotch wasn't finished. He knew he couldn't have Emily stay alone simply because she was injured. He knew a logical choice to stay with her would be JJ, but from the look of concern on Morgan's face and knowing the history of the partners, Hotch knew there was only one agent that should be chosen to stay with Emily. "Morgan can stay as well. The service for the fallen officers is tomorrow evening, and FBI presence will be important to show our respect and support. You should both be there."

Prentiss naturally had no choice in the matter. So seeing as the two partners were staying, they offered to finish the paperwork so the team could go ahead and fly out since it was getting late in the evening but not before JJ booked Morgan and Prentiss an early morning flight for Saturday.

They worked for a bit longer but soon determined the files could wait and went to a small diner to eat before returning to their rooms at the hotel for a well-deserved night's rest.

"So I'll see you in the morning?" Emily asked Derek who had walked her to her room in the hotel.

"Yep, I'll even bring the coffee," he smiled.

"Good, I'm going to need it."

"Is there anything else you need? Is your ear still bothering you? Did you take your medicine?"

"Morgan. Stop. I'm fine. I took my medicine and used the drops twice already."

"Good," he breathed out in relief.

"Would you stop worrying? This is what got us into this mess you know," she chided him.

"Well I personally consider it a vacation despite what you think. And no, I will never stop worrying."

Emily couldn't help but smile at her thankfulness of his concern for her. "Then thank you," she conceded gracefully. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight Derek."

"Goodnight Princess."

The next day was spent finishing paperwork for the case and helping the police department prepare for the memorial service. Both agents were extremely busy but Morgan still made time to check on Prentiss and the pain of her ear every chance he got. Sometimes, he would bring her coffee or water along with her medicine or drops, hovering over her until she took them. Normally Emily didn't like being babied but she knew Derek still harbored guilt over her condition. Though she despised being injured, it was always her partner who cared for her, so she relished in his comforting attentiveness to her, though she wasn't surprised by it in the least.

The memorial service was a moving one and the two FBI agents were honored to be there to show their support. Many of the police officers and the families of the victims showed their thanks to them as well, making Emily realize that despite the pain, it was important for she and Derek to be there.

Derek was escorting Emily out of the church when one of the deputies Morgan had been working with that day, walked up to them and began to speak. "Agent Prentiss, Agent Morgan. I wanted to thank you for coming to the service, it means a lot to our force, and I know the sheriff would have appreciated it as well."

"Well we appreciate your service to your town and I know the sheriff did as well. They are lucky to have you all," Derek responded.

"Listen, I know you said you weren't flying out until Saturday. The paperwork is finished so I was wondering if I could invite you both to the high school football game going on tomorrow night. It's a pretty big rivalry so I know there will be a good turnout. You'll have something to do since almost everyone in town will be there and I know Agent Morgan mentioned he had played football. My son is on the team and I'm sure he would love to meet you."

Derek hesitated, more than thrilled about the prospect of a real high school football game – something he hadn't attended in a long time; but he worried Prentiss might not want to go so he knew he should ask her first. Yet, she surprised him when he instantly answered the deputy. "I would love to go! I've actually never been to one before. And you did promise to teach me about football Morgan," Emily said as she smiled at the memory of the small moment they had shared on the difficult case.

_Derek and Emily had gone to investigate and Derek took down the suspect with rather impressive force, explaining to Emily that he had "played a little strong safety in college." Emily, ever the book nerd, had no idea what he meant. So later that day when the partners took a coffee break, Emily asked her partner about his comment earlier._

"_So you want to know what makes me so good at protecting you?" he winked. _

"_Oh please," Emily grinned, thinking of her thankfulness at the way her partner always protected her no matter what. Derek proceeded to explain what his role was on the college football team but Emily was only full of questions that eventually began to confuse even Derek._

"_You know what?" he finally responded. "I could always tell you but I think I'm just going to have to show you. One day Princess, you and I are going to a football game. So when it's time for the Superbowl, you'll be an expert." _

"_Wait, what's the Superbowl again?" Emily laughed jokingly at which Derek returned a smile and a shake of the head._

"_What would you do without me? Come on," he finally laughed as he led her out the door of the coffee shop with his hand resting lightly on her back._

"Are you sure you want to go?" Derek asked.

"Of course! It will be fun!" she replied before turning to Deputy Jones. "We'd love to go."

"Great, well the game starts at 7:00 at the school fields. It's down Route 9. Just go two miles past the diner and it will be on your right." They said their goodbyes for now and Emily and Derek made their way back into their SUV.

"We don't have to go just because I like football." Derek began.

"Morgan," Emily began.

"But what about your ear? You shouldn't be around loud crowds while it's still healing."

"Oh stop worrying. I've got the medicine; I'll be fine. And I want to go, really. After all, I need to know why you're so good at protecting me," she smiled, winning the argument.

"Fine," Derek grinned as he conceded. "You'll be Superbowl ready in no time."

So after finishing the FBI consultation paperwork, Morgan and Prentiss went back to their hotel to change, then stopped off for a quick dinner and were soon on their way to the football game. Derek pulled into a space in the parking lot. "Emily, wait," he said, to catch her before she stepped out of the car. She turned to look at him a watched him reach into his pocket. He pulled out his hands and revealed two small earplugs.

"Morgan," she said in a chiding tone.

"Emily," he equaled her tone. "You have to be careful and obey the doctor's orders. I bought these when we stopped to get gas earlier. Promise me, _if_ it starts to hurt, you'll use them?"

She glared at him with annoyance, but the clear look of worry on his face that met her gaze instantly made her agree to his request, because she knew how much he cared for her – especially how much he wanted to protect her. "Fine, _if _it hurts," she smiled, taking the earplugs from him, earning a satisfied smile in return.

The agents alighted the car and made their way into the stadium. Emily spotted Deputy Andy Jones who ran over to them. "I'm so glad you could make it," he greeted them cheerfully. "My wife and I have seats in the stands so you can sit with us if you wish."

"That would be great!" Morgan responded. They followed Andy to his seats where a lovely blonde woman was sitting. Andy introduced her as his wife Caroline. The four hit it off immediately, talking animatedly until the beginning of the game and even throughout it. The couple pointed out their son Thomas, a junior, who was number fifty-four on the team – an excellent starting, wide receiver who was obviously one of the team's star players.

The three football fans all took turns explaining the game to Emily who by the second half, was cheering as loudly and as knowledgably as the rest of them. She had completely forgotten the pain in her ear while trying to remember the last time she had this much fun… but when she thought about it, she realized that it was the last time she had spent with Derek outside of work – not that she was surprised in the least. She looked over at her partner and smiled slightly.

Every so often throughout the game, Morgan would lean over and whisper into Emily's ear – asking if she was all right, if she needed anything, if she was cold – to which she would always reply "No," with a grin and a tone that really said, "I'm fine, stop worrying."

But near the end of the third quarter, Derek couldn't help but notice the increase of the chill in the air after the sun had set and the way Emily brought up her hands to wrap around her body. As if simply a reflex and without a second thought, he took off his coat and moved to wrap it around his partner's body as he moved his hands up and down her arms to warm her.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she turned to look at him.

"Always," he replied, both of them smiling at the word that had quickly come to define their relationship – because it was true, they were _always _there for each other – no matter what.

The game finally ended with the home team winning which elicited loud cheers from the fans throughout the stands – including Emily and Derek. Knowing Thomas would want to meet Derek, the four adults made their way down to the field to wait for the young player to finish with his team and his friends.

The field had clearly relatively quickly and Thomas finally made his way over to his parents and the FBI agents. Thomas was ecstatic, to say the least, at meeting Derek – filling him with questions about playing college football. Morgan became just as excited as he relived his younger years playing football. After much talk, all three of the boys began throwing the ball around allowing Derek to show Thomas different moves he could use, and also subconsciously allow him to show off for Emily.

Andy, Derek and Thomas had made their way to the middle of the field to practice their own football moves while Emily and Caroline took their seats at the bottom of the bleachers, knowing the men wouldn't be leaving the field anytime soon. They didn't mind of course. Emily had genuinely enjoyed talking with Caroline throughout the game, and was excited at the prospect of getting to know her more.

It was Caroline who spoke first. "So, how long have you been with the FBI?"

"Almost four years," Emily replied.

"Have you and Agent Morgan been partners for that long as well?"

"Yes, well we've worked together since I started. We all work as a team but I'm partnered with him the most," she explained.

"And how long have you two been together?" Caroline asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"I'm sorry, what?" Emily asked, naively ignorant of Caroline's implication.

"Together… You know, dating… Wait you are dating right?" Caroline asked with confusion.

"No…" Emily laughed nervously, embarrassed as she realized it was something she had thought about… and not just once.

"Oh I'm so sorry. It's just that you two seemed so much closer than friends; especially because you stayed behind together. I just assumed…" Caroline apologized, clearly embarrassed at her assumption.

"No, no. It's all right. I understand," Emily responded, laughing it off. "All of us work together so often, we're just like a family. We've all grown close. But Morgan and I are just partners."

"Of course. As partners, you protect each other all the time. Not to mention the amount of time you spend together. I guess that's why I assumed you were together, you are both so comfortable with one another."

"Yes, we are," Emily smiled as she looked out onto the field at her partner, running around like a five year old boy, laughing and smiling. She thought deeper and soon spoke, "Honestly, Derek is my best friend. He's the first person I ever trusted on the team, and I know he'll always have my back."

"You're lucky to have each other. Partners – true partners – share a bond that no one else can understand. So is that why he stayed with you? Did he volunteer to stay behind with you because he felt guilty for not protecting you?" Caroline asked with a pointed gaze.

Emily turned to look at her quizzically, "How did you know?"

Caroline simply smiled and continued. "Andy and I were partners on the police force before we were married. That's where we met. And I guess… well I guess the rest is history as they say. I was a newbie, fresh out of the police academy. I grew up here so I knew I wanted to stay because of how much this town has always had trouble. I joined the force. I so was nervous," she laughed, "but not even a month into the job, they took me off desk duty and partnered me with Andy. He had grown up in Florida but came here for school and never wanted to leave.

It was new for both of us; we had to get to know each other. We talked, had similar interests, and pretty soon, we became inseparable. I trusted him with my life but also with my secrets. We would be on patrol and our shift would end but we would just stay there and talk for hours and hours. We started seeing each other outside of work. Andy was my best friend. He still is. But then, we told ourselves that we were just friends, close because of the bond we shared through our job, but we couldn't lie to ourselves for long.

One day, Andy got shot when we responded to a robbery in town. So when I was sitting by him lying in that hospital bed, I realized that the thought of losing him was the most terrifying thing I could ever imagine and I knew I had to tell him. But he beat me to it, he woke up a few hours later and the first thing he did was kiss me. We got married eight months later and well… here we are now," Caroline smiled.

"Wow," Emily breathed. "That's beautiful."

"I think so too," she grinned. "I'm sure you wanted to hear our entire life story," she joked. "But when I saw the two of you, it just reminded me so much of me and Andy."

"No, I'm glad you told me that story. Really," Emily said, her mind reeling with confusing thoughts.

"It's obvious you care about each other. I know I don't know you both very well, but I do know the bond a partner shares with another and the closeness it creates when you really trust that person. You two have it. It's clear as day. Just think on it," Caroline winked and turned her attention to the boys running towards them, obviously done with their football game.

Emily turned to smile at them but her mind was racing along with the speed of her heart. At first, she thought Caroline had been crazy to assume she and Derek were a couple. But everything she said was true. They were closer than anyone on the team. Sure she shared a bond with the girls. Derek was close with Reid and he had a close friendship with Garcia. But out of all of those relationships, Derek and Emily spent the most time together outside of work; and when she thought about it, the most time together _at _work.

She trusted him more than anyone and so she had shared more than she ever had with him than she had with anyone else. And he was the one person she had come close to telling about Doyle, more times than she could count. Emily also knew how they felt when the other was hurt – they would rather face anything than the prospect of losing one another. Soon, she didn't know if she was describing her relationship with Derek or the relationship Andy and Caroline shared – because she knew deep down, Caroline was right.

As she tried to sort through her thoughts, she was brought out of her musing to say goodbyes to the family that had been so nice to the agents on their extended stay. She hugged them all, saving Caroline for last. "Thank you for the talk," she began.

"Anytime," Caroline smiled and began to whisper. "But think about what I said. Just be true to yourself. Don't let your fears or even rules dictate what you really want in life," she winked.

Emily was about to protest out of nervousness but the family had already started to walk toward their car. "Did you have fun tonight, Princess?" Derek asked Emily as he threw an arm around her shoulders on their way to the car.

"Yes," Emily responded, mind still on Caroline's last words. "Did you?"

"Yeah! It made me realize how much I miss it, you know? But I don't miss the injuries. I think I'm going to be sore for a week. I'm getting to old for this," he laughed. "What were you and Caroline talking about?"

"Oh nothing really," Emily tried to brush it off.

"Come on now," Derek prodded. "You were talking about _something_!"

"Well, she just told me how she and Andy met. They were partners on the police force before they got married," Emily said quickly, trying to play off the subject.

"Oh," Derek said. "That's interesting. How did that come up?"

"Well…" Emily said, trying to avoid the inevitable. "She thought we were dating," she laughed nervously.

"_Oh_," Derek exclaimed.

"Yeah," Emily laughed, still embarrassed. "Silly right?"

"Yeah… absolutely," Derek responded, trying to joke as his mind began racing to thoughts of dating Emily that had seemed to creep into his brain more and more lately.

The agents brushed off the obviously uncomfortable subject with more talk of football, but both of their minds were really on the topic of discussion from earlier. "I think Thomas has got a great future ahead of him. And I'm going to make a call to a college coach I know – we played football together in school. Hopefully he can help Thomas out."

"That's great," Emily said. "So you showed him your stellar protective moves?" she joked.

"You know it!" he laughed. "I feel like I got some practice in myself. I've got to keep in shape if I'm going to keep you safe, you know."

"Well I am honored," Emily began with a grin.

"You should be," he replied. "You've got your very own strong safety right here to _always _keep you safe." Derek gestured at himself.

"And break down doors when needed," she winked.

"Precisely," he laughed; and the partners got into the car.

Their flight took off the next day right after lunch. The two agents sat side-by-side in the plane seats. Derek had of course insisted Emily take the window, knowing it was her favorite. The plane was preparing for take-off when Morgan reached over and squeezed her hand. "You took your medicine, right?" he asked full of worry.

"_Yes mother_," she responded with a smile. "I'll be fine."

"Okay," he said, nervousness still clear on his face and in his voice. "Well if it hurts, and I mean _at all_, let me know. Promise?"

"I promise," she smiled at his concern, trying to will her mind not to go back to Caroline's assumption, but it was too late.

So the plane took off, Derek continually checked on Emily who still insisted she was fine, but he checked nevertheless. Finally, her medicine got the best of her and Emily fell asleep against the window. Morgan pulled out the magazine in front of him and about fifteen minutes later, he noticed a weight on his shoulder. He looked over and saw his partner had shifted in her sleep and unconsciously rested against him.

He looked down at her sleeping form and didn't dare move for fear of waking her, and selfishly, causing her to move away from him. She stayed that way for quite a while longer and soon, the flight attendant came around with her drink cart. "Sir, would you like water or a soda?" she began with a whisper as she noticed the sleeping woman.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you," he smiled as he whispered.

"Would your girlfriend like anything when she wakes up?" she asked.

Derek simply smiled, thinking back to the conversation he had shared with Emily on the field the night before. "Sure," he smiled. "I know she'd love a diet coke."

The stewardess handed him the drink and moved on her way with a smile. Derek looked over at Emily, smiling himself at the thought of the attendant's words. He knew it could be true, but FBI rules along with their stubborn fears didn't bode well for the possibility. Before he could think on it further though, Emily stirred, eyes opening to see her partner smiling down at her.

"Have a nice nap, Princess?" he grinned.

Emily sat up, rather quickly after noticing her placement. "I didn't realize I was so tired," she yawned.

"Well we'll be back soon," Derek responded. "Here," he said as he held up the drink for her.

"You didn't have to do that," she smiled, thought still grateful for his thoughtfulness.

"I knew it was your favorite," he replied.

"Thank you."

"Always," he smiled.

**Hope you enjoyed & I'm working hard to write more! **

**Don't forget to leave a comment! :)**


	17. Taken 5x21

Hello again lovelies! _Thank you EVERYONE who had read and reviewed so constanlty. You guys keep me writing! So _criss128, jhplug, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, zackgibra, AnnKa, Nix1978, ayanamonique, BulletStrong _and _animallvr4eva_. You all are seriously the BEST! _

This is just a little missing moment I think fits in pretty well with this episode. I really wanted to explore a little bit of jealousy as well as the way another team member views our little Demily ship.

I know I've been doing some fluff lately but I promise I will dive into some emotional angst soon… But of course I will take any suggestions you have!

So, I hope you enjoy and PLEASE review and I will update soon!

**Taken**

**[5x21 – Exit Wounds]**

"_All love that has not friendship for its base is like a mansion built upon the sand." _

_-__ Ella Wheeler Wilcox -_

"You really should call him you know. He certainly seemed to like you." JJ said with a pushy smile from the plane seat at the window, but with very different intentions for her friend this time.

"JJ, I don't know… Mick is just… well…" Emily began hesitantly, obviously not at all enthused by the subject of conversation.

"He is just what? Handsome, smart, mysterious… British… need I go on? Like I said before, he's just you're type." JJ asked, clearly not wanting to give it up.

"Yes, but JJ with our jobs and our schedules, it is so hard to have a relationship that works."

"Will and I do it."

"Yes but Will is a good and decent guy and you could get anyone you wanted." Emily began. "Now me on the other hand, if my job doesn't intimidate them, my nerdiness or something else scares them away. Like I said, I'll just get a cat." Emily said, hoping that would end the matter but knowing it wouldn't.

Sure she wanted a relationship like Will and JJ, like Kevin and Garcia even, but in her mind, she was just a nerd, fully devoted to her job and too full of emotional baggage and damage to ever be desirable to any worthy man. So, as always, she closed herself off – trying to forget the loneliness that brought pain to her heart every night she had to spend alone with no one to love, and no one to love her in return.

The only people she ever opened up to were her team members – the only real family and source of love she had ever had. And she was fearful everyday that it would all be taken away at any moment. Luckily, the captain announced they were landing before Emily could delve any deeper into her depressing thoughts.

"Look, Mick may not be the one; but whoever it is you are holding out for, you should give him a chance. You never know what could happen." JJ said with a wink as she made her way to exit the plane, thinking with a smile of the exchange she had witnessed earlier.

"_It is still freezing in here!" JJ said to Emily as she walked to the fireplace in the hotel room they were sharing. The small Alaskan town had really messed up the normal BAU sleeping arrangements. But the two friends didn't mind. At least they had gotten a chance to catch up on girl talk. _

_Well at least it was JJ doing most of the talking. All JJ could talk about was how Emily needed to call Mick like she had been saying ever since they got back from the case where they met him. But Emily, on the other hand, would be happy if she never heard Mick Rawson's name for the rest of her life._

_Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. JJ went to open it as Emily walked out of the bathroom dressed but hair still dripping wet. Derek Morgan was on the other side of the door holding a tray of coffee cups in his hand. _

"_Oh please tell me those are for us!" JJ said excitedly._

"_Of course." Morgan said, handing JJ her cup. _

"_And the regular for you, Em." Derek said as he handed a cup to Emily who had made her way to the door. _

_Emily took a sip and smiled. "Mmmm, just the way I like it. You get it right every time."_

"_And I always will," he winked. "Besides, I know how you can get when you don't have your coffee."_

"_Oh as if _you_ are such a happy morning person?" Emily remarked sarcastically, but still smiling. _

"_I am today," Derek said, his goofy smile still plastered to his face._

"_Well then maybe we should have you sleep with Garcia more often."_

"_Oh I don't think that's going to happen," Derek laughed. "Apparently Kevin now wants to fight me."_

"_Well then you should be very scared Agent Morgan, I don't know if you could win in hand-to-hand combat with Kevin Lynch. You're pretty weak you know. He could really hurt you," Emily said, playing along._

"_I think I'll take my chances." Derek laughed._

_JJ looked on at the conversation unfolding before her, completely forgotten by the two agents. As she watched their easy smiles and their laughter – she realized just how much she missed Will. And then she realized that maybe Mick Rawson wasn't right for Emily after all. Sure, he might be her supposed type of guy but Prentiss was already taken because she already had one of those at the BAU. And he wasn't just her type of guy – he already_ was_ her guy. _

_Sure it wasn't romantically but they were partners and best friends. To each other they were someone who knew each the other than anyone, who thought of each other through gestures as simple as morning coffee, but also someone who understood when they struggled with the terrible things they saw, and someone who they trusted with their very lives every day. JJ knew how much time they spent together as friends – the whole team was a family. They couldn't go one day off without at least seeing one team member._

_And Morgan and Prentiss were pretty much the standard for that. They saw each other all the time: for dinner, movies, workouts, or even just carpooling and morning coffee. They were much more than partners, they were best friends. And after all, isn't it true that love begins with friendship? And theirs was about as deep as you could get. Now JJ finally realized what she had been suspecting all along… but nothing could happen until Morgan and Prentiss figured it out for themselves._

"_Hotch wants us to go do more interviews." Derek said to Emily, pulling JJ out of her thoughts._

"_Okay, I just have to finish my hair first."_

"_What do you mean? You look perfect!" Derek said with a grin._

"_Oh very funny," Emily smirked, not realizing just how serious Morgan was. "Give me five minutes?"_

"_Take all the time you need, Princess. I'll be right out there." Derek said, walking out of the door. His wide smile matched the look on Emily's face as she made her way back to the bathroom… only confirming JJ's suspicions._

"Just think about it…" JJ called over her shoulder before finally exiting the plane.

"Was she talking about Mick Rawson?" Derek said with an obvious look of disgust as he walked up to Emily. He had made sure Kevin would pick up a still shaken Garcia but now it was time to tend the other woman he cared so much about. He didn't want to be rude and eavesdrop but he couldn't help overhearing their conversation – and he was especially nosy when anything came up about one of his BAU ladies and another man, especially his partner.

And when he heard Mick Rawson's name, he couldn't help but cringe. That man had gotten under his skin from the moment he met him. He was so arrogant and it didn't help that he flirted with his partner throughout the whole case. Derek told himself he wasn't jealous, it was just that he was very protective of Emily, and the rest of his team for that matter.

But it didn't help matters when Mick saved Emily from getting shot on that rooftop. Derek still beat himself up over that one. It was _his_ responsibility to protect his partner. So even though he was nothing but grateful the man had saved Emily's life, he couldn't wait to get off of that case and far away from Rawson.

"Yes," Emily said with exasperation as they made their way to exit the plane together. "She keeps telling me to call him and I am so tired of it. I know she means well. I guess it's just that now that JJ has Will, and Garcia has Kevin, I'm the last available female on the team so she feels it's her duty to set me up. But I really don't think I want to call him."

"Well good, because you can do so much better than that arrogant, British jerk."

"Well I don't know about that but…"

"Emily, come on. Don't sell yourself short." Derek cut her off as he stopped her in the dark parking lot; knowing how low Emily's self-confidence really was despite her efforts to act so put-together and detached. So he began to tell her exactly how he felt, "A million guys would love to get even the smallest chance with you. Any man who wouldn't is an idiot." Emily could instantly feel her face begin to flush, and looked down at the ground. "You're smart, you're funny, you're tougher than anyone I know and you are absolutely beautiful."

"Thanks," she said sincerely. "But I just always scare men off…"

"Then they don't know you like I do. And I guarantee they don't know what they are missing," Morgan said as he looked deep into Emily's eyes.

"Thank you," Emily whispered, instantly feeing more confident and at ease – the way she always felt around Derek. "I'm definitely not calling him. I don't care what JJ says. Our jobs are way to hectic, it would be long distance anyway, and honestly, he's not even my type."

"Wait you have a type? What is your type?" Derek asked with genuine curiosity though hidden carefully behind his joking tone.

"Oh wouldn't you like to know…" Emily laughed.

"Come on," he gestured in mock defeat.

"Where are we going?" Prentiss asked with confusion.

"I'm taking my partner out for a midnight breakfast."

"If you think you can win me over to tell you all of my secrets with blueberry pancakes I'd say you've got the right start but you've got a _long _way to go."

"I'll throw in workouts then dinner and a movie _of your choice _at my place tomorrow afternoon… What do you say to that Princess?"

"I say you're off to a good start so why are we still standing here? Let's go," Emily smiled. Derek put an arm around her shoulder and led her to her own car before getting into his own. Little did they know, a smiling JJ was looking on, smiling at every move they made and forming a brand new plan for two of her favorite agents.

**I hope you liked it! Don't forget to leave a comment down below **


	18. Protection 6x02

_Hello all! I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to all of you wonderful readers and reviewers – seriously, your reviews and sweet comments always make me smile and want to write so much more. So Nix1978, erica1021, DreamerChild88, zackgibra, , Lenika08, michan92, Sarah, Ganduean-Vampiress, jhplug and of course criss128 (who has been SO helpful with this chapter) – THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I love you all!_

_Here is a little moment from "JJ" Enjoy!_

**Protection**

**6x02 JJ**

"_I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long, I will stay with you. There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me."_

_-__ Elizabeth Gilbert, __Eat, Pray, Love_

"Hey Hotch?" Emily said. "I don't know how much luck I'm having with the other one but let me try this one again."

"I'm going to put Morgan and Rossi on this one. You keep trying to get his friend to open up."

"But I made him relax. How do you know he wouldn't talk to me if I went back in there?" Prentiss asked, rather frustrated because they were on a short deadline to find the girl.

"Prentiss, I'm not sending you back in there. Morgan and Rossi can handle it." Hotch said.

"And I can't? Hotch, what did I do wrong? Why won't you send me back in there?"

"Prentiss it's nothing _you _did. But I'm putting you and Reid on this boy's partner."

Emily was about to retort but more agents began to walk into the room and she was cut off. She was confused and quite frankly, upset that Hotch wouldn't let her try to get the boy to open up again. But what she didn't know was that it wasn't really because of Hotch she wasn't going back into that interrogation room…

They had spent 8 hours with the suspects, and still, they were no closer to finding their victim Katie than when they had begun. Rossi and Reid stayed with the suspects while Morgan and Prentiss took their turn to grab food and plenty of coffee on their short break.

They got their food and made their way to sit together at the table in the small café that was a short walk from the station. "So, how's it going in your room?" Prentiss asked, looking at Morgan.

"That kid…" he began in a frustrated tone. "He just won't give in. And he is just so cocky!"

"Yeah, mine is the same way," Prentiss began. "I told Hotch to let us try switching but he just won't go for it. I don't understand him sometimes." Emily said, obviously upset. "There is a girl out there fighting for her life if she isn't already dead, and he doesn't trust me enough to do my job. He is so stubborn!"

Morgan moved his gaze downward, moving his fork through his food as though he were playing with it. But Emily knew him all too well, realizing he wasn't telling her something. "Morgan?" she asked in a warning tone. But he continued looking down, refusing to meet her gaze. "Morgan!" she said a bit louder. "What is it?"

"Well…" he started sheepishly.

"Well what?" she prodded.

"Well… it's not exactly Hotch's fault you're not going back in there." Morgan said, looking into her eyes with a pleading look, praying she wouldn't be too mad at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked seriously.

Derek looked off in the direction of the window and let out a deep breath. "When I went in there to interview him, he was just so full of himself – so cocky. When he asked for the polygraph… he, well… he said he wanted _you_," Derek threw up his hands to make quotation signs,_ "'_the pretty one' to comeback in there to ask him the questions."

Emily smirked at Derek's obvious annoyance at the boy. But she kept quiet, allowing him to finish. "Then he kept talking about you… He kept making comments like that, but worse – about you and even about JJ…" Derek thought back to the scene that had occurred hours before and related most of it to Emily.

*Flashback*

"_Isn't it hard for you?" the boy said smugly. "Resisting _that_? Hey, I'd even take that blonde I saw earlier if I couldn't get… Agent Prentiss was it? I didn't do what you think I did to Katie but you better believe I'd do it to her… But wait a minute, maybe you already have…" _

_Morgan was furious. He stood up from the table, no – lunged rather – as fast as he could towards the suspect but not before Hotch could open the door and call his name, the only thing holding him from showing this boy the meaning of pain._

_Morgan regretfully followed Hotch out of the interrogation room, fuming as he slammed the door behind him. _

"_Morgan, I know what you're feeling. But we have to stay professional about this. Trust me, after what he said about JJ and Prentiss I'd love to go after him myself but we can't – a girl's life is on the line."_

"_I know Hotch…" Morgan said, still not at all satisfied. He was beyond angry with the conceited teenager who thought he could make such comments about his team… about his partner. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, he wouldn't quite admit it to himself – but Derek Morgan was jealous – he felt the same emotion he had felt during the case with Viper - and therefore, he had always been rather over-protective of Emily Prentiss._

"_Just promise me you won't send Prentiss back in there. Or even JJ for that matter... If you send Emily in there, he'll get exactly what he wants, throw it in all of our faces and we'll never find out what happened to that girl." _

"_Alright, well I'm sending Rossi back in there with _you _for protection."_

"_I don't need protection!" Derek argued._

"_It's not for _you_, it's for the kid." Hotch smirked and Morgan laughed along._

*Flashback*

Emily looked at Derek after he had finished relaying the story to her. He was expecting her to blow up with anger at his constant need to protect her– a need that would only grow stronger as the years went by – but she simply stared at him with a soft smile, thankful for his flattery.

Prentiss was grateful for a partner, a man, like Derek Morgan to look after her even if she felt she didn't need it. "Thank you," she said sweetly. "But you know I don't need protection, I can handle it." Emily added softly.

"I know, I don't doubt your abilities – and neither does Hotch – promise. But, honestly, I think I was more concerned about _me _handling it." Derek said seriously, eliciting an even wider smile from Emily. "I mean somebody comes after one of my BAU ladies, they're going to have to answer to _me_." Derek laughed as he looked at a still smiling Emily.

"Oh my…" she responded sarcastically.

"Come on, Princess. Let's go find that girl." And they made their way back to the station together. But even through the rest of the case, Emily continued to think about Derek's behavior, and for once, she was thankful for his over-protective nature of her.

And the team _did_ find Katie. They rode home on the jet; all happy about the way the case had ended despite their exhaustion. But little did they know, this case wasn't over yet – another storm was coming… a storm that hit much closer to home and one of them would not survive it.

The news broke in the bullpen. They all tried to fight it but as JJ had said, it was done. She was gone from the team; she had been taken away from their family. They all went to the restaurant they usually went to for family, team outings. But the atmosphere was not as joyful as it usually was. The night ended – the team severed – but all made promises to stay in touch – and they would keep those promises.

It was Emily who drove Derek home this time – as she had insisted he was too tired from the long investigation to drive safely. But they drove in somber silence, still dwelling on the devastating blow they had been dealt regarding JJ's fate as a member of the team.

Emily was the first to break the silence. "It's not fair," she whispered. "JJ and Garcia are the best girl friends I've ever had. We're a family – all of us. They can't take our team apart like that."

"I hate Strauss," Derek responded. "They can't let this happen. We work as a team – we work best when we're together. _All _of us – they shouldn't try to fix what isn't broken."

"It just makes me wonder who is next you know?" Emily said, worry clear in her voice. "How do we know that they won't split us all up eventually? I mean look at my track record. I'm more prone to getting hurt than a two-year old, I was put on this team as a mole for Strauss to begin with…"

"Hey…" Derek said, turning to face her as he cut her off. "We may have lost JJ but we are _not _losing anyone else on this team. We won't let it happen. _I_ won't let it happen." He reached for her hand as he continued. "We're all going to get through this. And who knows, they might just realize this family can't survive without the one crucial piece that is JJ. But they won't replace you. You're my partner, Em. I won't let them take you away from the team… away from me. I will _always_ fight for you Princess. Plus, do you really think they could find someone who speaks as many languages as you?"

"Thank you," she said as she squeezed his hand in hope, glancing at him with a thankful smile because she knew it was true – for both of them. "Well you shouldn't worry. You've secured your spot on this team with sheer, brute force. I think they'd be scared to even _try _and move you. Plus you know Garcia would crash the government computer system in a second if they tried to take you away from her," Emily laughed.

"That's true." Derek chuckled in return.

Emily turned serious again. "But we _will _all stay together no matter what. We're a family and that's what families do. They protect each other. They fight for each other."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Derek said, and they both smiled in the eyes of the other – knowing secretly in their hearts that of all the team members, they would fight for one another the most fervently.

So later, when another force threatened to take Emily away from the team – from him - he did try to protect her, and he did fight for her – with his very life. After all, Morgan was the one who fought the hardest against Doyle – he was the one who always refused to let her go. And in the end, it's what brought the team, the family, back together again.


	19. Hero 6x05

_Hello my lovely readers! I hope you are all doing AMAZINGLY! Here's a little addition to "Safe Haven" – I hope you enjoy it! I'm sorry it took so long – I've been so busy at work and then I got sick… But I finally was able to make time for Demily :) YAY!_

_Of course, I have to thank my beyond AMAZING reviewers! So THNAK YOU _Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, Nix1978, Guests, (the amazing) jhplug, _- And ESPECIALLY the two people who pulled me out of my writer's block truly made this chapter happen: criss128 and AnnKa. You all are seriously the BEST!_

_Hope you enjoy – I'm off to write more if you do - so as always, please don't forget to leave a comment :)  
_

* * *

**Hero**

**[Safe Haven – 6x05]**

"**Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me. "**

**- ****Fred Rogers -**

Emily had worried throughout the entire case about her partner. She knew how distracted he was. Ellie had come back to Morgan from her awful foster home and it was all he could think about. She tried to comfort him, but she was at a loss of what to do.

Emily knew better than anyone else how Derek could relate to the young girl because of their shared history of losing their fathers. So during the case when they were in the SUV together, she had an idea.

"Morgan…" she began softly, but received no answer. "Derek," she whispered a bit louder as she reached over and rubbed his arm.

"Hmm?" he mumbled absentmindedly.

"What do you know about Ellie's mom?" she asked him, seeing his worried, far-off look.

"What?" he asked as he was pulled out of his thoughts and turned to look at her.

"Her mom. What if we could find her? She and Ellie could have a second chance. And she wouldn't have to go back into the foster system," Emily offered along with a hopeful smile as she spoke. For the first time since Ellie had returned, she saw hope appear in his eyes.

"Princess, what would I do without you?" he smiled in her direction. Derek asked Emily to get Garcia back on the phone and set her on the quest of Emily's idea of finding Ellie's mom.

The team wrapped up the case and flew back as soon as possible. The rest of the team headed straight home for a much-deserved rest. However, Emily and Derek went straight to the FBI offices and into Garcia's lair together to check on Ellie. The girl was ecstatic to see both of them, offering hugs and telling stories of her time with Penelope, before Garcia mentioned that Ellie's mother was waiting in the conference room.

Garcia insisted she had to get to her date with Kevin so she hugged Ellie and Emily offered to wait while Morgan took Ellie in to meet with her mother. It got off to a rocky start, but eventually, both Derek and little girl were becoming comfortable with the new situation, and everyone was happy she wouldn't have to go back to the horrible foster home. Derek made his way gloomily out of the room. He was replaying the murder of Ellie's father over and over in his head, allowing the guilt to build with every memory. He was almost down the hallway when he heard his name called from behind.

He turned to see Ellie running out of the room and straight towards him. She reached him and threw her arms around him as he knelt down and did the same. "I may have a mom now but we _still _have to talk you know."

"Of course we do sweetie. I wouldn't have it any other way," Derek winked at the young girl. Ellie's mom had approached the two at this point, and was smiling down in thanks that her daughter had had someone when she couldn't be there for her. She proceeded to offer that they all go for dinner in the city so Ellie could spend a bit more time with Derek. Ellie insisted that Emily accompany them as well so Derek went to get her and offered to drive her and pick her up the next morning for work so they left her car at the office.

The four individuals made their way to a pizza place Derek recommended and time passed quickly, full of laughter and excitement. Morgan's worry had subsided and he finally felt comfortable with Ellie going home with her mother. However, his guilt about her entire situation would not leave him.

Derek insisted on paying and Ellie accompanied him to the register so she could tell him goodbye more privately. He knelt down to hug her and heard her trying to hold back her tears.

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you kiddo," Derek whispered.

"I miss him too," Ellie whispered as the tears began to fill her eyes. "Why did all of this have to happen?" Derek leaned in to hug her; sadness and guilt filled his heart as it always did when he thought of Ellie and her dad because ever the protector, in his mind, this entire situation was his fault.

"I ask myself that question every single day," he replied, completely defeated.

"Does it ever get better?" Ellie sniffed.

Derek looked straight into her eyes, remembering his own father and the time with him that he had missed out on. He would never wish that on anyone. It was one of the worst experiences anyone could go through. But despite all of that, he knew that it would get better. "Yes, it may not seem like it right now. But I promise you Ellie it does get better. You just have to live every day knowing that even if you can't see him, your dad is still with you – He's in here," Derek said as he pointed to the little girl's heart. "Remember how much he loved you and now, you've got your mom. And I know that she loves you just as much as he did."

Ellie's tears had finally subsided and a smile had replaced her pitiful look as she thought of the love of her father.

"Now it's your turn, you know," Ellie said as she pulled out of the hug.

"My turn?" Derek asked with confusion. "My turn for what?"

"You found a family for me. Now I'm going to do the same for you!" Ellie said with a smile as she glanced over at Prentiss. "I've got you and now I've got my mom back. But who do you have?"

"I've got my mom. And my sisters too," Derek replied.

"I know but they're far away. My dad always said everyone needs someone to love every day so we can be reminded of the good still in the world. He said that was why he could do his job despite all the evil he saw people do. He could do it because he had me to love and to love him in return. He had it with my mom. Dad tried to pretend it didn't bother him when she left but I knew the truth. He missed her every single day – he told me that she was the only one he ever loved like that. That's why he said he loved me so much. You need that too."

Derek simply started at the nine-year-old girl whose words were well beyond her years.

"You are one smart young lady Miss Ellie. I know you're dad would be very proud of you."

Ellie smiled even more broadly at his words. She turned her head to the side as she began to speak. "Do you think someday you'll have it too?"

"Have what?" he asked.

"Someone you can love everyday too?" she replied full of expectancy.

Derek was completely taken aback by her question but it certainly wasn't anything new to him. He asked himself that very question each day. "I hope so kiddo."

"I hope you do too," she said with a smile before her mother calling her name cut her off. They both looked over to see Ellie's mom and Emily standing together smiling at both of them. Ellie leaned in to hug Derek once more, "But you might have found that already," she whispered as she nodded over at Emily once more.

She began to walk over to the two women before Derek could respond to the comment, leaving him pondering his feelings more than he ever had before as he glanced over at his waiting partner. A smile came to his face as he saw her kneel down to hug Ellie – she was always so good with children – it was one of the things he liked most about her.

He made his way over to the group of women and they proceeded to all say their goodbyes. Derek promised Ellie he would visit her soon. After final hugs, Ellie and her mother made their way to their car, which was in the opposite direction of Derek and Emily's.

Emily walked beside her partner down the city street to the deck where they had parked the car. But her mind was only on one thing - she continued to glance over at Morgan with worry. Emily knew the look on his face. He was doing something he did best - blaming himself.

"Morgan…" she began. "What is it?"

"None of this should have happened," he replied, frustration clear in his voice. Not at her of course, but at himself. "Ellie lost her father because of me."

"Derek," she began, but he already knew exactly what she would say.

"Emily, you know it's true," he cut her off; despite her words, his gloomy, guilty demeanor didn't go away.

"You've got to stop blaming yourself," she told him. Nevertheless, she was met with a sad gaze of defeat from a man who was completely broken and just continued on his way.

By the time they made it to the next intersection, Emily had formulated a plan in her mind. She hated seeing her partner like this so she knew she had to help bring him out of this guilty feeling before it got worse. "Come on," she gestured with her arm and began to walk briskly in the opposite direction of the parking deck.

"Where are you going?" Derek asked in bewilderment.

"_We_ are going on a walk," Emily turned to tell him. "Hurry up! D.C. can get scary at night if you're alone. I wouldn't want to have to come save you," she giggled with a wink before turning around and continuing to her destination.

Derek shook his head but hurried to catch up with her. They walked two blocks until they came upon a park. He knew it well. Families came here with their children every day to play on the jungle gyms or in the grassy areas, friends could just come to sit or talk and runners and bikers loved the various trails it offered. But at night, Derek wasn't so sure this was the safest place to be; even if it was in a good part of town.

His fears were confirmed at the sight of a man walking along the edge of the park, eyeing himself and his partner as he went. However the man, who was simply a curious pedestrian who had just gotten off of work, continued on his way. "Emily," Derek worried aloud. "Come on. Let's go to the car. If you really want to walk we can go somewhere inside if we must – somewhere safer."

"Derek Morgan, are you scared?" Emily smirked.

"Not at all. I just need to make sure you're safe," Derek said firmly as he glanced over at a homeless person sleeping on a park bench. Emily followed his gaze and smiled as she remembered another encounter they had shared with a homeless woman. That was the moment Emily had realized just what a good guy Derek Morgan really was. She turned to look back into his eyes with a smile and noticed the worry she knew would be there – the over-protective worry that was always there.

"This is exactly my point," she started as they continued to walk. Morgan moved in as close as he dared to Emily as his protective mode moved into full gear. "One of the things you do best is protecting people. You have my back every day and I trust you with all that I am. You give your all no matter what. But when something goes wrong you blame yourself and Morgan… you have to stop. The guilt is eating away at you and that's not healthy…"

"Can we talk about this later?" Derek huffed. He knew she was right, but somehow he felt this was easier than attempting a therapy session about his feelings.

"No, we can't." Emily responded forcefully. "Because this isn't just affecting you. Every time I look at you blaming yourself, it breaks my heart. You're my partner and you are my friend. I have to fix this. You have to stop beating yourself up inside for what happened to Ellie's father."

"Thank you for caring Princess. Really," Derek said with sincerity as he began. "But I just can't. I promised him I would keep her safe and not only did I let him die in front of her…" he faltered, stopping in front of a set of swings as tears forming as his eyes as he choked on his words. "I just wish I could go back to that day and change it all."

"Morgan, there was nothing you could do," Emily continued, resting a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Morgan, you're my partner. I know you. I know that you did absolutely everything in your power to protect Ellie and her family. But sometimes there is a different plan that is supposed to unfold no matter how much it hurts or how hard we fight against it. But what matters most is how we respond to it. And Ellie knows that you did everything you could for her father and now you're doing the same for her."

"Does she though?" Derek questioned as they continued their way through the park. "When my father died, I blamed everyone. I hated myself for being a coward. I blamed the officers in his division for not getting there on time. I even lashed out at my mother for being grateful I was even alive. I thought I should have died right along side my father. Now I know I survived to make him proud; to carry on what he couldn't. But what if Ellie begins to feel that way about me too? What if one day, when she wakes up from a nightmare of her father's murder and she chooses to blame me?"

"Oh Derek," Emily stopped in her tracks and whispered as she turned to look deep into his pained eyes. "That could never happen. She saw her father killed by a man. He is the person she blames, not you – never you. She saw you promise to keep her safe and she see's that you've done just that. You got her out of that foster home… You found her mother. You gave her the chance to have a family again. If anything, you're her hero. You're your mother and sisters' hero because they are so proud of you. You're a hero at the BAU. When will you finally be able to see that?"

Derek simply looked at Emily with a grateful smile as he exhaled, seemingly releasing the weight of the world.

"And I know you're father would be proud of you too," Emily began again. "I know I've told you this before but you really are a good guy. So don't you see, Ellie is lucky to have you. She's lucky to have had to you do everything you could to protect her even now. She would still be in that awful foster home without a mother if you didn't," Emily offered as she took a seat on the swing and began swiveling herself around.

"Thank you. But I know you, Em. You would have done exactly the same thing." Derek said as he sat down beside her and gave her a knowing look. "I'm just lucky I have you to force me to talk about it even when I may not want to. You're right, it's not healthy to keep it all inside."

At that, Emily's smile dropped as the vision of beautiful, blonde-haired little boy jumped into her mind and her heart ached at the memory she was harboring within. There was nothing she wanted more than to tell Derek everything about Declan, about Lauren Reynolds... and even about Ian Doyle. Emily thought that it would be easy to leave her past behind when she joined the BAU.

At first, it was. But as she became closer to each of the members of the team, soon they became the only family she had ever known. She shared a deep connection with each and every one of them... but her connection with Derek was something extra special. He wasn't simply her partner anymore - the time they spent together: working the case, protecting one another's very lives, and even times like this when they simply talked - they had become best friends. He was the first person she had told about the abortion she had when she was fifteen. He was the only one who knew her greatest fears - even if she couldn't tell him where they had really come from.

She knew how hard he dealt with guilt, so she knew she would never stop trying to get through to him, especially because it was a way to deal with her own since she couldn't speak the truth. But still, keeping what was perhaps the biggest secret of her life from her partner, from her best friend, was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

"Em, what is it?" Derek asked as he pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Nothing," she smiled, trying to suppress her memories of her past once more. She had to admit though; it was becoming easier the more at home she felt with her BAU family. "I'm just glad you're finally realizing the truth. You really _are _a good guy."

"You're never going to let me forget that are you?" Derek smiled as his guilt finally vanished.

"Never," Emily replied without missing a beat.

"What would I do without you Princess?" They both laughed before Emily began swinging faster and higher. Derek looked up from his own swing, thinking no longer of the guilt he had felt but of the words Ellie had spoken before they said goodbye. He had tried in the past to keep his feelings professional, but with every moment like this they spent together, Morgan found it harder and harder not to think of his partner when he asked himself if he would ever find love like his parents had.

"Come on!" she laughed, finally able to smile now that her partner was back to his normal self. "You had better swing faster if you want to keep up with me!"

"Is that a challenge Agent Prentiss?" Derek laughed beside her as he picked up the pace of his own swinging.

The two agents continued laughing, worries completely forgotten as they acted like two children without a care in the world. The night became darker and finally, they made their way back out of the park, walking side by side.

"So Em… Who's your hero?" Derek asked with a smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Oh buddy your ego is getting a bit too big." Emily giggled.

"Don't play coy with me Princess… it's me, isn't it?" Derek continued the joke.

"Oh yes… _Always_," Emily answered with a sarcastic tone and a nudge shoulder to shoulder with her partner as she tried to mask the truth of her statement. They both tried to laugh off the deeper meaning of the word that had come to mean so much to the both of them.

"Thank you for this," he smiled as he wrapped his arm ever so protectively around her.

"Anytime, you're my partner remember. I'll always have your back."

"And I'll always have yours," Morgan responded as they walked arm in arm.

Derek's guilt had finally subsided, and Emily's worry for him had as well. All was right in the world of partners Emily Prentiss and Derek Morgan… for now at least. Soon the test of their deepening relationship would reach its peak and nothing would ever be the same. Derek's guilt and Emily's regrets would not be going away anytime soon. But no matter what came their way… they would _always _have each other.

**Hope you enjoyed and I'm sorry it took so long to update! Don't forget to leave a comment!**


	20. Picture 6x18

**Hello Everyone! **

**So I finally found the time to update again. I will warn you, this one is rather melodramatic but I just had to do it because it's how I imagined the scenes after "Lauren" played out.**

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ****REVIEW**** for me! I write faster when you do!**

**Hope you enjoy & I can't wait to here from you!**

Picture

Lauren 6x18

"_**I'm gonna love you**_

_**Till the wheels come off**_

_**Oh yeah…**_

_**I love you baby and I always will**_

_**I love you baby and I always will**_

_**I love you baby and I always will**_

_**Ever since I put your picture**_

_**In a frame…"**_

_**-Tom Waits, "Picture in a Frame"**_

JJ sat in the same chair she had for the past three days. The beeping of hospital machines and slow breathing created a steady and depressing background noise. She stared at the book in her hands but hadn't turned a page in close to an hour. It had been days since the funeral but Emily still hadn't woken up. JJ was beginning to think she'd never wake up, in some ways she thought it would be easier. She was beyond grateful her friend was still alive but dreaded the conversation she knew she would have to have with Emily about her need to go undercover again and lose all contact with the team until who knows when… perhaps until forever.

She kept checking on the team ever since the funeral and she knows they team are taking this harder than she ever imagined they would. Rossi acted like a father who had lost a child. Reid came to her crying every night, constantly telling her he didn't understand why people kept leaving him. Garcia was anything but herself – she wouldn't into the office yet because she didn't want to see Emily's desk to remind her. They were all affected but Derek was breaking her heart. He was the worst of them all. She knew he was trying to be strong but it was as if when he found out Emily had supposedly died, a part of him died to. He wouldn't smile, wouldn't laugh - he would just look off into the distance as if he was reminiscing on the time when the BAU wasn't a broken family – a time when he had Emily Prentiss in his life.

JJ sat looking at her friend lying helplessly in the hospital bed before her and she let her mind wander back to that morning, JJ had gone to Emily's home to grab a few things she hoped to save for her friend before her belongings were cleaned out for good. She assumed her door would be locked and had grabbed Emily's key that was found among her belongings the night Doyle hurt her. But when JJ went to unlock the door, she found it was already open. She turned the knob and entered cautiously, worried Ian Doyle himself may have come back for something of Emily's. JJ walked through each room, saddened as she remembered all the happy memories she and her friends had made there over the years. Nothing seemed amiss until she made her way to the bedroom, and it was there that Emily's "death" finally hit her.

There, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, was Derek Morgan. Only he didn't look anything like the tough, FBI agent she knew. There he was, hunched over weeping like a child clinging to a picture frame and inhaling the scent of a t-shirt. Morgan knew JJ was there but he was too distraught to care.

JJ bent down beside the broken man, sadness creeping its way into her heart and crippling her too. She put a hand on Derek's back and he fell onto her shoulder – sobbing more tears that JJ thought were possible from one person.

"Why didn't she tell me? I _knew _something was wrong! I could feel it. But every time I mentioned it she just ignored me. She didn't trust me but I could have protected her. I could have stopped him JJ! _Why_ wouldn't she let me?" Derek moaned between his sobs.

"Oh Derek…" JJ began, seriously contemplating breaking all protocol and telling him the truth while driving him straight to the hospital. "Of course she trusted you! She trusted you more than anyone else. Why do you think _you _are the only one who noticed that she was going through that? You knew her better than anyone. But you know how she is… _was_. Always putting others above herself. She wanted to protect the ones she loved – to protect us, to protect _you_ because she knew you would hunt down Doyle yourself exactly the way she did. But she loved us too much to put our lives at risk – so she put her own in between Doyle and her family."

"I begged her to hold on, to stay with me… I thought she'd be okay – If only I would have gotten there sooner, she'd be with us right here, right now. What I wouldn't give to go back JJ. It should have been me in that warehouse – not her. Never her…" Derek whispered.

"You couldn't have changed anything. It wasn't your fault!" JJ told him. "But I know that she was lucky to have you there then, in the end. And she knew it too. It's what she would have wanted. You meant so much to her. That's why she held on as long as she did – because _you _were there. Because she wasn't alone anymore and she died knowing how much you loved her – That you and the team fought for her even though she tried to protect us from it, even when she tried so hard to hide it. She died knowing she had a partner who was the greatest friend she could have ever asked for."

Derek looked up at JJ and she saw the eyes of a man who had lived more than twice the years of his own life; a man who had no hope for any more life at all – and that terrified her. "Derek you have to keep living, keep doing what you do best. Do it for her. It's what she would have wanted. That's why she did what she did." JJ said, hoping to elicit some type of purpose for living in Morgan's mind.

He didn't budge. And that's when she finally realized that all of her sneaking suspicions had been right all along. This bond her two best friends shared went so much deeper than partnership – they loved each other. Sure they loved the rest of the team as their family but _this_ – this was the love she had with Will and the love Hotch had once shared with Haley.

And that is why JJ finally started to cry along with Derek. She knew Emily was alive but the thought of a love like that lost was too much for her to bear and she hated herself for the lies she was telling Morgan when she realized the BAU wasn't losing just one life with these past events, they were losing two.

Derek and JJ sat like that for a few more moments, both finally composing themselves enough to seem somewhat presentable to the rest of the world. But their hearts were still with Emily.

Derek was the first to speak as he held up the picture he was holding to show JJ and a flicker of a slight smile flashed across his face. "Remember this?" It was a picture of Derek and Emily together – just the two of them. They were outside, snow dusting Emily's hair and the rest of their clothing. They were smiling as wide as their faces would allow. They weren't looking in the direction of the camera – they were looking at each other because Derek had made a joke about the snow.

Then they both remembered. It had been a cold night in the November of the first year Emily had joined the team. After a particularly difficult case, they had all decided out to dinner and a movie together. But during the movie, Emily – still trying to impress the rest of the team - had volunteered to go refill the popcorn for the group. Derek saw this and rushed out behind her so she wouldn't have to go alone. When they began talking in line, they both discussed how much they hated the movie but would still watch it because Reid had picked it out.

But when they walked to go back into the hallway of theaters, a young high-school student who worked there asked them to see their tickets before they could enter and they realized that Garcia had all of their ticket stubs with her. Not wishing to argue with the boy and also not wanting to finish the movie, they both opted to take a stroll around the mall the theater was housed in until the movie was over. But at Emily's insistence Morgan texted Garcia to tell her what had happened, not to worry and that they would meet them after.

The two friends, looking much more like a couple, walked through the outdoor mall as the snow flurries dusted their faces. Though neither of them seemed to mind while they chatted laughingly. But as the time passed, Derek noticed Emily's usually pale nose was pink from the cold and, always the gentleman, insisted the "Princess" take his jacket to stay warm. This only prodded her to insist they lock arms so he wouldn't freeze – it was one of the first times they ever made contact – and they both were filled with warmth that no physical fire on earth could create, but only a fire kindled within the heart. It was that night that the two partners recognized the connection they shared…

"You're probably wondering why I came here if it will only make me more miserable," Derek began, the tears returning to his sad eyes. "But I can't let her go JJ. I can't forget her – the way she looked, the way she sounded, the way she smelled… the way she smiled. That smile got me through the hardest of days. And now I don't know what will"

JJ knew what would – if only she told him the truth. But she knew no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't break protocol. "Then remember it, remember _her. _Doyle is still out there and so is Declan. Do what she died trying to do, loving and protecting him. Don't let her death have been in vain. Remember her that way – through protecting the thing she loved most – Declan and the team."

Derek nodded, still looking like a sad and lost puppy but with a new purpose. "I should go. Thanks JJ…" Derek stood and made his way toward the bedroom door.

"Derek wait!" JJ exclaimed. She held up the picture and shirt. "Don't you want to take these?"

"I don't need to. I got Emily that picture for Christmas the same year it was taken and the night we exchanged presents, we realized we had gotten each other the same thing. I already have a copy at my house. And the shirt, well I just can't take it back. I let Emily borrow it one night a few years ago after we were working on one of my houses." JJ looked at Morgan with a smirk accompanied with a raised eyebrow. "Now now it's not what you think… Anyway, it was kind of a joke we had – that she would never give it back to me because she said she always forgot. I just couldn't take it back now."

JJ nodded with understanding. Derek conveyed his thanks once again and moped his way out the door. Then JJ picked herself up off of the floor and devoted herself to the original reason she had come here, only this time, she had an even better plan in mind.

JJ was pulled out of her memories of the morning by the sounds of rustling sheets and soft moans from Emily in the hospital bed before her. She watched as her friend finally began to wake up after so many days. Emily's head tossed and turned until her eyes opened in a startled and confused manner. She look around the room frantically – JJ thought for sure she was still looking for signs of Doyle. So JJ spoke Emily's name, telling her she was safe and in the hospital.

Emily seemed to relax and this and finally made the effort to speak. "What happened?"

JJ took a deep breath as she began the most difficult conversation of her life. "I came to help find you. When we did, you were rushed into surgery at the hospital immediately."

Emily's face scrunched up as she tried to piece together what little she remembered of that night. It took her a few seconds to organize her thoughts but she finally spoke. "Morgan found me. He was with me in the ambulance and then…" Emily's thoughts went dark there – she remembered the feeling of darkness and cold she experienced and shuddered at their reappearance in her mind. She pushed the memory far back into her mind to be addressed another time.

"You were taken into surgery. It took nine long hours but you pulled through it." JJ told her friend with a hollow smile. But before she could tell her the bad news, a nurse walked in and assessed the newly awoken patient's vitals, commenting that all looked well before she left the room – a security guard closed the door behind her and Emily's feelings of nervousness returned instantly.

"Where's Doyle?" a concerned Emily asked the moment the door shut behind the nurse.

"Emily…" JJ hesitated. "Emily, we didn't find Doyle."

Emily's breathing became heavy and labored. She knew Ian; she knew that he would stop at nothing to hunt her down as he had before. And now that he knew the truth about Declan, he had even more of a reason to find her again. But then Emily thought of how the team had obviously saved her, particularly Morgan. And it was then that her fears subsided slightly because she knew they would fight back even harder.

Emily drew a breath and put on a face of sheer determination. "That's okay. We can find him. I know about his movements here, what he'll be looking for… With the team's help we'll find him. Where is the rest of the team? How long have I been here? Are they on a case?" Emily inquired, not knowing the heartbreaking answers to her many questions.

"Emily… There's something I have to tell you."

"Oh God, he hurt them… Doyle did. Who? JJ what happened? Are they all right? Where is the team?" Emily asked nervously.

"No, no. The team is safe. You're safe. Only… they don't…" JJ took a deep gasp before finishing her tragic sentence. "They don't _know_ you're safe."

"What?" Emily said, utterly confused by JJ's tearful face before her.

"Emily. You've been here over a week. The team, for your protection… because Doyle hasn't been found… Emily, they have been told you didn't make it."

Emily couldn't process anything – thoughts, sounds, nothing. She knew she was alive but she felt dead – not from Doyle's wounds but from her best friend's words. "No… No! JJ! No! That can't be true! Where are they?"

"Emily it's for your safety! For theirs! If you were alive who do you think Doyle would go after first? _The team_! He's a family annihilator and the BAU is your family. It's what's best for everyone until he is caught. But for now, you are being put in witness protection overseas."

"JJ!" Emily exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's the only way!" JJ cried at Emily, more of a way to prove it to herself rather than her friend. She knew there were better ways that wouldn't cause so much pain but sadly she didn't run the government.

"No! They _have _to know the truth! I kept too much from them already. They're here. They have to know! Derek!" Emily sat up and began screaming at the top of her lungs. "Reid! Garcia! I'm here! I'm alive! Hotch! Rossi!"

JJ shot up from her chair to try to calm her distressed friend but Emily pushed her away, ignoring the pain in her abdomen to tend to the excruciating pain in her heart. "Emily they're gone!" JJ began, finally able to put a hand on her friend's shuddering shoulder. "You're in a different state for your protection. Emily, your funeral was four days ago! The team is gone."

Rather than a verbal answer from Emily herself, JJ was greeted with the sounds of hospital machines going off loudly as Emily began to hyperventilate – gasping for air. The nurse who had just visited flew into the room accompanied by a doctor who rushed to Emily's bedside and JJ moved out of the way.

Emily fought them off as hard as her weak frame would allow but they were easily able to calm her with an injection. Soon after, her breathing returned to normal and she was laid back down into a resting position on the bed. When her vitals were acceptable, the nurse and doctor left the two friends alone.

JJ returned to Emily's bedside and took hold of her hand. Though Emily had been calmed by the medicine, it hadn't affected her too strongly so that when JJ touched her hand, she jerked it away forcefully and anger stirred on her face that refused to look at the blonde.

"I know you're angry. And you have every right to be. But this is an order from the top – the _very _top. We couldn't risk unnecessary lives so only Hotch and I know."

Emily sat in silence for several minutes as her brain processed the information she had just received. "You know they'll think I gave up on them. That I left them because I didn't care enough… Reid will start using again. Rossi will sink even farther into his shell. Penelope will be a basket case. And Derek…" Emily's voice cracked when she said his name as she remembered some of her now last moments with him. "Derek will blame himself – he told me to hold on, to stay with him. He found me and he held my hands…" Emily was beginning to break down now, tears welled in her eyes and her voice shook. "He told me he wouldn't let me go so I did my best to promise him I wouldn't either. JJ he _has _to know! He'll blame himself, he'll feel guilty for the fact I didn't make it but I _did_! He's the reason I did. He's the reason I didn't die on that floor, in that ambulance!"

"All the more reason to protect him from Doyle – he's your partner Em. Morgan would be Doyle's first target to get to you."

Emily couldn't argue with JJ about that. Emily knew she was right. But that didn't stop the pain of losing her whole family all in one day.

"I'll brief you on your status in witness protection tomorrow. You've been through enough today."

"What is going to happen to Declan? Is he being watched? He isn't safe now that Doyle is still at large." Emily said with the concern of a mother, returning to her former self and all together forgetting her own tragic fate for the love and life of another.

"Declan will be fine," JJ stated vaguely, ignoring Emily's question and continuing. "I brought something for you." JJ pulled out a bag from underneath the bed. "I snuck in your apartment and got you some personal things you can sneak with you wherever you go – to remember us by," JJ's voice waivered as she was attempting to maintain her composure.

She pulled out different items she had gathered from Emily's apartment. Each were significant in that they each meant something about one of the team members – a Christmas scarf from Reid, a piece of jewelry from Garcia, and so on… there was even a box with pictures and memories from Declan. And finally – a picture frame and old looking t-shirt from Derek. Emily's heart caught in her throat at the sight of all of these memories with her friends. She wasn't furious anymore because she was just too disheartened to care about her anger.

JJ didn't know if she should tell Emily the truth, but she was so sick of the lies that she went for it anyway. "I found him with these this morning, in your apartment" JJ stated softly. Emily looked up at her with wide, wet and pleading eyes. "He was just sitting there Em, sobbing with these in his hands. I've never seen him like that."

"JJ are you _trying _to make me feel worse?" Emily screamed, her intensity startling even herself.

"Emily, he was lost, broken. But we talked; he's going to protect Declan. And I know he'll hunt down Doyle if it's the last thing he does. Declan will still be safe, Derek is going to finish what you started. Then maybe it will be safe for you to come back!" JJ said with a new hope in her voice, attempting to lift Emily's spirits and even her own.

JJ watched as her friend silently picked through the only remnants she had of her now former life. Tears streamed down both of their faces. She reached out to place her hand on Emily's shoulder once again but was startled at her reaction. Emily jerked back, turning her body away from JJ's direction. She didn't speak but the sounds of her sobs scared JJ. She knew Emily would take this news hard, but she had never seen her friend like this – this heartbroken.

"Just go," Emily whispered between her weeping.

JJ didn't want to leave Prentiss, but instead wanted to make everything alright – ease here friend's pain - and also afraid of what Emily might do to herself. But she knew Emily needed time, the way Morgan did, the way they all did. Emily wasn't the only one injured by the actions of Ian Doyle – they all were: physically _and _emotionally. "I'll be back tomorrow to brief you on your new identity and location."

JJ just looked on helplessly as she saw her friend's tragic state and she had no power to help unless she broke all rules and protocol that had been put in place after Doyle's escape. JJ walked to the door and looked back at her distraught friend one last time.

Emily now lay on her side away from JJ in her hospital bed. The pain in her abdomen was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. Her friends, her family, her very _life_ had been stripped away from her in an instant – and she didn't even have a choice in the matter. Emily looked across the items strewn across the bed, touching each of them tenderly as she remembered the memories made with each person she loved that she might never see again… and she let the tears continue to fall until she had none left.

Finally, Emily clutched the picture frame and t-shirt as if they were her only source of life. And in a way it was, it was the only proof her now past life ever even existed. And at this point, she didn't care if that was the only life she ever had - As she inhaled the scent of Derek Morgan she swore still lingered on the shirt – the reason she had never returned it in the first place – and remembered how her partner and her friend had held her hands like his own life depended on it – willing and pleading with her to stay alive and she knew it was the only reason she was still breathing that very moment – because he was there to save her, like he _always _was.

She always knew they had something special, something more. But now, they would never know and she began to sob even harder. So Emily looked down at the picture once more and remembered that night – one of the best nights of her life. The night she felt special, the night her partner turned into someone special – he had become one of her closest and most trusted friends. And that night, as they strolled together in the snow, she remembered that it was the first time Derek had ever called her "Princess" – and as she sobbed into her pillow, she prayed it wouldn't be the last.


	21. Phone Call 7x01

Hello all! So I just had to update again because I wanted to begin touching on the nightmares I've been throwing into the chapters. This is the first part of the nightmare arc I am including – it sets the groundwork for some cute scenes I have planned for the future chapters.

A HUGE thank you to one of my best reviewers _criss128_, for _Lenika08, erica1021_, _zackgibra_, _Sarah_, _guests_ and _everyone else_ who has been reading & reviewing this story – it means SO MUCH to me so thank you thank you thank you.

PLEASE read & review this chapter and I hope you enjoy…

*And I own nothing…

* * *

**Phone Call**

**[7x01 – It Takes a Village]**

_Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. _

_"Pooh!" he whispered. _

_"Yes, Piglet?" _

_"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. _

_"I just wanted to be sure of you." _

_-A.A. Milne, "Winnie the Pooh"_

The team had all gone to JJ's house to celebrate their reunion after the hearing. Everyone was still trying to get used to having Emily back, it was strange and it was a shock, but they wouldn't trade it for the world.

They all sat around her living room, some on the chairs and couches, others on the floor. But all eyes were on Emily, each in amazement that it was actually her sitting on the floor before them, not simply a figment of their imagination. They all tried to catch up on life, to get back to the place they used to be – as a team, as a family. They all knew it would take awhile, but it was a start nonetheless.

The hours passed into the night and each of the profilers remembered that they were _all _expected back at work the next morning. Each made their way to the door, saying their goodbyes to Emily simply grateful that it wasn't goodbye anymore but merely, see you tomorrow, just like old times.

Derek was the last to leave. He hadn't spoken much that night. He had just sat there, never taking his gaze off of Emily. He kept remembering the first time he had seen her and realized she was alive.

He turned and followed Garcia's gaze, shocked at the figure standing in the doorway. It couldn't be. It was impossible. But there she was. Emily Prentiss was standing there, alive. She was finally back in his life.

His heart began pounding, he was breathing in deep breaths but still felt like he wasn't getting any air – it was like he was drowning. He was immediately back in the warehouse and he was preparing himself to wake up from what he thought had to be a dream, no… a nightmare: and the worst kind. He had them all the time: images of her coming back to them, back to him – only to have Doyle rip her out of his arms as he would wake up in tears, realization always hitting him like a ton of bricks that he would never see her again. But here she was, and try as he might, he couldn't wake up, because this time he wasn't dreaming.

He felt the tears in his eyes, he knew he must look like a deer in headlights but he didn't care because all that mattered was that she was here, even more beautiful than he remembered, but he still noticed her tired eyes. She noticed his stare and began to make her way to him – and she felt like she couldn't move fast enough. This was one of the moments she had prayed for over the past seven months – the day she saw him again, the day he found out the truth, the day their worlds were both set right again.

She reached out to hug him, to hold him after she told him she was sorry, that he didn't deserve any of this. She knew it wasn't enough but she had to try. And when their bodies met, it was like magic – the warmth she felt, the smell she had missed, the feel of his heartbeat – _now _she felt like she was home – and she didn't want to let go. She closed her eyes for a brief moment to take it all in, but she had to force herself to let him go. She didn't understand this feeling, this charge of energy she had never felt with anyone before, but she knew she wanted to feel it again.

The moment he finally felt her, Derek realized he wasn't dreaming. It had only felt this real once before – when she was alive. And now he knew it was true – she was home. When their bodies touched, he felt his heart start beating again and he could finally breathe again. He didn't want to let her go, he wanted to hold her for seven months and then an eternity to make up for the time they had lost, but he had to let her go. But that is when his suspicions were confirmed, he knew why the past seven months had been the most miserable of his life other than when his father had died – he was in love. And now he had a second chance – and he wasn't going to let it this opportunity pass this time.

Derek made his way to the door and said his goodbyes to Garcia who was just leaving with Kevin. He turned to Emily, whose eyes were filled with tears and face filled with the emotional exhaustion this experience had inflicted upon her. Even the hint of pain in her eyes made his heart begin pounding loudly in his chest. "I'm so happy you're home…" he began. "Words cannot even begin to describe how much…." Derek choked on his words, "how much I missed you Em. I thought it would never be this way again…"

"I know" Emily began, reaching to place a hand on his shoulder. "But I'm home now. And I'm here to stay… _always_." Emily said softly, they smiled at the word that had come to define their relationship and they reached to embrace one another in a hug once more. This time they were alone on the porch, no one watching and so they stayed that way for minutes, but it still felt too short a time for both of them. They finally pulled apart, both with tear-filled eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Derek said, as he looked deep into her eyes, still afraid she might disappear again.

"Of course," she said, knowing he needed the reassurance but realizing so did she.

She watched him make his way to the car and made her way back inside. JJ had insisted she stay in her guest room rather than spend one more night in a hotel after seven month of living in them and hospitals.

Emily finally put herself to bed but her mind was racing with the events that had occurred ever since she had returned. She felt her exhaustion in every bone in her body, but as always, she was terrified to let herself fall asleep. Every night since she'd left, and sometimes before that, Doyle had haunted her dreams. She tried to keep herself awake but her body finally gave over to sleep, and her mind to her horrible memories.

_She was running towards her team, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reach them. She knew Doyle was there, and she had to stop him. She spun around as she heard him behind her – she saw him holding Declan in his arms. She yelled for him to let him go but then he came after her. She saw Morgan yelling for her, Declan was looking on as the terrified little boy she had rescued so many years ago, her best friend JJ was reaching out for her but she couldn't get to any of them. Try as she might to fight him off, Doyle began all his best efforts to break her. _

Just as a searing pain shot through her abdomen, she shot up in her bed – she was in a cold sweat, tears running down her face, and her heartbeat was trying to catch up with her breathing. She brought her knees up to her chest and rocked herself back and forth, fear had taken over her body. The room and house was too silent and so she jumped at the sound of her cell phone ringing from the bedside table.

_He was running through the dark, gun drawn even though he couldn't see anything. But he could hear her screams. He ran frantically, calling out her name into the darkness, willing her to hold on for only moments longer, until he could save her. _

_He turned the corner and his heart broke painfully within his chest as he realized it was too late. He saw Doyle hovering over an injured Emily, but then disappeared too quickly. He ran to her, calling out her name and she answered him weakly. She was covered in blood but he picked her up and held her in his arms as tightly as he could, willing her to stay alive as he whispered comforting words in response to her whimpers and cries. Her eyes were closing and she was fading quickly… he begged her to stay with him as he delicately placed a hand on her face but she whispered her final words, "I'm sorry Derek" and closed her eyes forever… He cried and screamed, looking around for help but was only met with Ian Doyle, standing before the completely broken man, laughing at his pain. _

He shot up into a sitting position, shivering from the memory of the dream, looking around and registering his surroundings, realizing the nightmare had come again.

He started to go back into his voicemail messages. It was like clockwork, he dreamed of losing her and would torture himself even more by listening to the message he had on his phone from her that she had left about a month before she had 'died.' It was nothing special, a message to tell him she had finished the book he had leant her and that she had loved it so she wanted to see the movie now too. It was a short message, but she was happy, he could see her one thousand watt smile in his mind as he heard her laughing and as she said his name. He couldn't bring himself to delete it – for the past seven months, it had been one of his final ties to her. He felt if he deleted it, he might forget her forever, and he just couldn't let that happen.

But realization dawned on him when he remembered the change in the tide of his life over the past few days. He reached for his phone but not to retrieve the message this time… he had to prove to himself that his nightmare was now only that, a lie and no longer the truth. So he dialed the number…

"Hello?" she answered, her groggy voice indicating the lateness of the hour.

"Emily?" Derek whispered softly.

"Derek…" Emily said, even the sound of his voice helped her heart begin to slow its pace.

"Emily… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you… I shouldn't have called." Derek said, hating himself for what he interpreted as his weakness.

"Derek… stop. You didn't wake me. I haven't been able to sleep since that night. What is it? What's wrong?" she asked him sincerely.

"Nothing. I just… I needed to hear your voice. I needed to know that it's real – I needed to know you're really alive again. You're not the only one whose had trouble sleeping these past few months…"

Her heart caught in her chest when she heard his words. She smiled at his caring nature, but she wasn't at all surprised – it was one of the things she loved most about her partner, and one of the things she had missed most when she was gone. "It's okay… It's really me. Like I told you, I'm back for good. I'm here… always."

They stayed on the phone for awhile, both not speaking as they still tried to adjust to their new situation. "So you can't sleep either?" Derek asked, as he was the first to break the silence.

"Never," she began, laying her head back on the pillow. "But now I'm home, now he's gone for good. Maybe they'll finally leave me alone… You have them too?"

"More than I care to admit. But like you said, maybe they'll finally leave me alone because now you're here."

She smiled at his comment, hoping for both of their sakes that they were right but she still wasn't so sure.

"Well I should let you get some sleep." Derek began, a bit embarrassed in himself at what he had done. "Thank you for your help, really. I didn't mean to bother you… you should get some sleep…"

"Derek…" she cut him off. "You could _never _bother me. You saved my life. And you just saved me from having to finish my own nightmare… Thank you…. for everything."

"Always" he replied, and they both smiled into their phones. "Well I should let you rest, you're back where you belong tomorrow."

"I can't wait," she said genuinely. "Goodnight Derek."

"Goodnight Emily."

They both laid back in their beds, smiles still on their faces as they drifted off to sleep, a sleep free of nightmares…

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! I hope to update soon if people like it so don't forget to leave a comment :)**


	22. Nightmare 7x02

_Hello again lovelies! Sorry this took SO long! I just started working two jobs and I just can't get in enough Demily :( _

_But not to worry, I'm working on this story A LOT now!_

_Thank you EVERYONE who had read and reviewed so religiously. You all are amazing! So _criss128, jhplug, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, zackgibra, AnnKa, Nix1978, ayanamonique, BulletStrong _and _animallvr4eva_. You all are seriously the BEST! _

_This is a long one but I really hope you like it – It's definitely something I think could have very well happened with our favorite couple!_

_I have plans for more chapters very soon so I can't wait to update for you again._

_So, I hope you enjoy and PLEASE review and I will update soon! _

**Nightmare 7x02**

"_Your bones have been my bedframe and your flesh has been my pillow._

_And I'm waiting for sleep." _

–_Ani Difranco_

Everything finally felt right for Emily Prentiss. Ian Doyle was dead. She was out of hiding. Declan was safe. And most importantly, the team – her family – was back together again. The initial feelings of shock, confusion and anger were long gone and replaced with feelings of hope, thankfulness and love.

She still didn't know what she wanted: if the BAU was really where she was really meant to be. But as she was laughing, talking and joking with her team at Rossi's house as they made a pasta dinner together, her doubts were pushed to the back of her mind. She felt happy for the first time in seven months – she finally felt content since the very first time she had interacted with Doyle. She didn't feel scared anymore. She felt home.

So they all cooked dinner together; each tried the other's dish and finally, they made their way to the living room where they wasted hours laughing, joking and playing Rock Band. But soon it was time for them all to go home for the weekend. The team had just jumped directly into their first case back together again and Emily still didn't have her own place or even her own car yet.

She had stayed with JJ a few nights but didn't want to intrude anymore so she set herself up in a hotel room. If she was honest, it was the last place she wanted to be seeing as how most of her time in the past seven months was spent if not in hospital rooms, in hotel rooms – completely alone.

"Do you need me to drive you to your hotel since you refuse to stay with me?" JJ asked Emily as they approached the door.

"JJ, I can't impose on you anymore. You've already done so much," Emily responded.

Derek Morgan, who had been standing as close as he could while watching Emily all night couldn't help but overhear their conversation. "I'll drive you," he chimed in.

"Are you sure?" Emily asked. "I don't want to be any trouble."

"Nonsense. You're worth all the trouble and more," he said with a wink.

So they said their goodbyes, promising to see each other at work on Monday as long as a case didn't come up between now and then, and Derek walked Emily to his car. And ever the gentleman, he moved in to the passenger door for her.

"Thank you," she said as he got into the driver's side. "I really appreciate you taking me to my hotel."

"You're welcome…" Derek began hesitantly, and Emily knew he was hiding something. "But I'm not taking you to the hotel. You're coming home with me."

"Morgan, that is ridiculous," Emily instantly protested. "I'll be fine, really. I already put JJ out needlessly and I am not going to do the same to you. I'll get an apartment again and get another car soon and I'll be all set."

"Don't argue with me Princess," Derek said seriously. "I know after seven months alone in hospitals and hotel rooms you _do not _want to spend another minute there. Admit it."

"Well…"

"Emily," he said, in a pointed tone.

"You're right… but you don't have to…"

"Yes, I am right and there will be no buts about it. Plus now neither one of us will be alone tonight…" he said, looking in her direction – both of them knowing that the other was thinking of the phone call they had shared only days ago in the middle of the night.

"And I'll help you find an apartment and a car this weekend if you like. You know you're going to need _someone _to do all that heavy lifting," he chuckled as he held up one of his muscled arms and flexed it. "What do you say?"

"I say I think you've won your case," she smiled. "I do need some strong muscles to help me with all that furniture," she laughed. "But I just might feel generous and buy you dinner afterwards."

"Deal," Derek responded happily.

They drove to the hotel first so Emily could get her things. She continually told Derek she didn't mind staying alone, but he wouldn't hear of it. And she was more than happy to oblige.

It was late when they finally got to his place. Derek carried all of Emily's things inside behind her. She looked around, remembering all the memories they had made here ever since their friendship began: movie nights, cooking breakfast together – or Derek cooking and Emily supervising - after their weekly early morning workout or running dates where sometimes they would never actually get to working out but just cook and end up watching a movie or TV marathon on the couch all day; or their late night heart-to-heart discussions, These were just a few of the things they had done together… _before _Doyle. "Oh, I've missed this place," she said.

"I've missed _you_," Morgan responded without missing a beat. Emily turned around, holding his gaze with a look that conveyed her deepest apology.

"I've missed you too… More than you know," she said.

They shared another deep look before Derek broke silence. "I'm sure you're tired," he began as he began to walk towards his bedroom with his bags. "You can sleep in here."

"Derek," Emily instantly protested. "You're doing enough already. I'm not taking your bed too."

"Don't argue with me," he smiled; and she knew she wouldn't win.

He placed her things in his room, making sure she had everything she needed before he moved to the door.

"Thank you," she called to him, reaching for his arm.

"Always," he instantly responded. "I'm just thankful I have you back," he said as his hand brushed her arm. "I'll see you in the morning; and we'll find you an apartment and get you a car and I might even make you breakfast," he added with a winked.

"I'll hold you to that," she smiled. "Goodnight Derek."

"Goodnight Emily," he replied as he closed the door behind him and made his way into the guest bedroom.

But no matter how hard he tried, Morgan couldn't fall asleep. He laid in the guest bedroom but after a couple of hours of endless tossing and turning, Derek made his way to the living room couch, hoping he could find something on television to help him fall asleep.

He turned on the TV, flipping through the channels but found nothing particularly amusing. Derek was just about to give up his search when he heard a strange sound that seemed to be coming from his bedroom. His FBI instinct instantly kicked in and he turned off the television. At first, he didn't hear the sound again and thought perhaps he was wrong but as soon as he was about to turn the TV back on, he heard the sound again, and this time it was even louder.

It was followed by soft moans coming directly from his bedroom. The moans turned into soft cries that soon became louder and more frantic; eventually turning into screams. Derek had jumped into action, running in the direction of his room and bursting through the door.

There in his bed, Emily was tossing and turning, screaming, "No! No! Please!" – obviously lost in the world of a nightmare she was having. Derek ran to the bed and and quickly, but nevertheless gently, pulled her up to him. "Emily," he began. "Emily, wake up. Shhh… It's me. I'm right here." He said, trying to stroke her hair with one hand while the other wrapped around her back to pull her closer into his chest.

She had suddenly awakened at his touch but the terror from her dream did not leave her so quickly. She fought hard against him out of fear and confusion. But he continued his attempts to soothe her so finally, Emily's senses registered that she was no longer with Doyle in her mind but safe in her partner's arms.

She stared at him with wide, wet, and tired eyes. "Derek?" she cried, still questioning his presence because of how she had seen Doyle take him away in her nightmare.

"Em, it's me... Shhh… You're okay. It was just a nightmare," he instantly responded, reaching up to move a stray strand of hair behind her ear after wiping her tears with a delicate finger; He attempted to comfort her but terror still filled her eyes. "You're safe now. He can't hurt you anymore."

At that, Emily simply fell against him, sobs wracking her small frame. He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into him as tightly as he could. She buried her face into his neck as her arms snake their way around him, hands clutching at the fabric of his shirt and finding comfort by inhaling his familiar scent. And as she clung to him, he whispered to comfort her. "Shhh... Emily, it's okay. I'm right here." As he spoke, he ran one hand up and down her back to soothe her as the other rested on the back of her head, entwined in her hair – rocking her back and forth.

She was still crying but regained a bit more control of herself as she began to speak. "I can't stop seeing his face," she wept, voice muffled as she spoke into the crook of Derek's neck. "Ever since that night, he hasn't left me. It's always the same. He comes and takes Declan or he goes after the team… or just after you. But he hurts me every time. I try to go after you but he holds me back and I have to watch him kill you all…" she gasped for air, from her fear and constant tears, but she still continued. "And then he goes into kill me. But I always wake up just before he does."

Morgan pulled her even tighter into him, caressing her back as he turned both of their bodies to lean back against the pillows, further onto the bed. His eyes had begun to fill with tears at the pain of her story but also at the pain of his own memories of the nightmares he still had, just like Emily's. Doyle would take her and torture her just in front of him, filling his mind with her screams. But no matter how hard he fought, he could never get to her. Or he would have another nightmare; one he found far more painful than any torture Doyle could inflict on him or Emily…

He would dream of days at the office, time on the jet or trips in the SUV. There were no particular stand out moments for him with any of these – there were times when he could catch a glimpse of her smile, hear her voice and sometimes, if he was lucky, he could hear her laughing - they were just memories of time spent with her – of when she was alive… when she was with him. And for him, those were the worst type of dreams he could have because he knew deep down when he woke up, it could never be the same again.

He would wake up in cold sweats almost every night since that night in the warehouse – filled with sadness, confusion, and most of all anger. And then Derek Morgan, strong, tough, unaffected FBI agent Derek Morgan, would cry himself to sleep, masochistically longing to dream of her again – just so he could see her alive one last time.

However, when she had returned, his dreams of her with him had become a reality and so they had disappeared and had been replaced with even more nightmares of Doyle taking her out from his grasp… taking her away from him once more and this time, for good.

But Derek pulled himself out of the pain of the nightmares he had to focus on his quivering partner still clinging to his body like a lone swimmer to a buoy in a stormy sea. His heart broke into pieces at her pain but he was comforted over simply being able to hold her breathing body in his arms the way he had prayed for over and over ever since her supposed death. "He can't hurt you anymore, Em." Derek began, whispering in her ear before resting his head on top of her own.

"But he's always there…" she protested weakly.

"And I'll always be _here_," He said in a tone of determination.

She looked up into his eyes, smiling for the first time that night. "Thank you," she said softly, to which he returned her smile. Emily suddenly became aware of her position lying practically on top of Derek. "I'm sorry I woke you," Emily said, sitting up in the bed.

"You didn't. I couldn't sleep anyway," he responded.

"Well I shouldn't have kept you up. I'm sure I'll be all right," she said, trying to hint that he could leave if he wanted to. Despite the fact that was the last thing she wanted him to do.

"Emily. Stop apologizing. You know…being with you helps me too. And Emily, you know I'll _always _be here for you – no matter where or when. I'm not letting you go again. But if you want to be alone…" he began reluctantly. "I understand."

She looked at him with wide, pleading eyes – terrified of being alone the way she had been for the last months without her team, her family, there with her. Emily knew they shouldn't be doing this – she knew it was unprofessional – but when she was with Derek, she felt the comfort she had always longed for – and she was free now, so she wasn't about to give that up. So she looked at him, and merely shook her head. "No… I don't want you to go," she whispered, tired of facing the nightmares alone.

"Good. So come here," he whispered gently, reaching his arms out to her. And in a matter of seconds, Emily went to him, laying her body beside his own and maneuvering on her side to find a place to rest her head atop his shoulder as their arms wrapped around one another once more, hands intertwined as they rested on his chest. He pulled the blankets around their bodies, and the two partners fell into a peaceful sleep neither one had experienced in what felt like an eternity.

Emily had lost her entire family in one day. Derek had lost his best friend and partner, wondering each day she was gone why it had to be him instead of her. So as he lay there that night before he finally fell asleep, he came up with a plan: A way to ensure that the feelings that had been creeping into his heart for Emily since Doyle, and if he thought about it, since they had first met, would be protected and wouldn't distract him. He loved his job and he knew hunting down the bad guys was the best way to honor his father, but he knew above all else, protecting Emily was and would always be his first priority. And it was also the perfect way to spend even more time with her. He wouldn't talk about it with her now… they would soon – but he had to figure out how to tell her. So tonight, just being with each other again was enough.

Emily awoke the next morning as the warm sun streamed through the window and found a place to rest on her face. She rolled over, reaching her arm out a little farther, expecting to find Derek, her comforter, still resting at her side. But her hand was met with only sheets and pillows. Here eyes opened slowly as her face turned from one of contentment to one of disappointment and the dread of being alone. She sat up, and began to look around rather frantically - wondering at first if last night's events were merely a dream.

But she knew that no dream could have made her feel the way her partner had when he came to comfort her in the night. So her fears grew stronger - her fear of being alone and her self-conscious fear wondering if he regretted staying with her through the night because of both her lies as well as their jobs. Still, she had to know...

"Morgan?" she called softly, her fear of being alone betraying her as it came through in the tone of her voice. When she received no answer, she called his name once more – this time a bit louder and though she wouldn't admit it, a bit more frantically.

Soon, she saw Derek emerge through the bedroom door. "Oh, you're awake," he said in a startled tone but nevertheless with his beautiful smile. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up – I mean to be - You looked so peaceful that I couldn't bear to wake you. So I started working on that deal we worked out," he grinned, lifting up his hands.

Only then did Emily realize he was carrying a plate of her favorite breakfast food – blueberry pancakes – a recipe from Fran Morgan herself. She smiled widely as she jumped out of bed and rushed towards him to take the plate from his grasp. "Slow down," he laughed.

"Are you kidding me!? I haven't had these ever since…" her voice trailed off. The last time she had eaten Derek's pancakes was only days before she had left to hunt down Doyle – it was the last time they had spent together outside of work before she was gone.

"I know…" he finished for her with a sad tone. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah…" she nodded.

"Well I also called the realty company and you're old apartment is still available if you want it?"

"Sure!" Emily exclaimed. "Maybe that means I can finally get Sergio back."

"I think a certain tech guru might take issue with that," Derek laughed.

They finished their breakfast and then got ready for all of the tasks they had set out to accomplish that day. Emily signed the apartment contract and had movers bringing in her things from the storage unit JJ had secretly saved her things in while she and Derek went car shopping. Of course Derek wanted her to buy a sports car but Emily had much more conservative taste. So, to please them both, she bought a bright red BMW they both loved. Then they drove back to her new old apartment.

Derek helped her unpack boxes and put together a few pieces of furniture but there was still plenty to do that they would work on in days to come. They ordered in Chinese food and had to eat on the floor since Emily still didn't have a dining room table. But they didn't mind.

Soon it was late in the night, and Derek knew he couldn't stay there forever even if that's what they both secretly wanted. So he made his way to the door as slowly as he could. "I'll come by tomorrow to put those bookcases together. And we absolutely have to get you a table."

"Okay," she smiled. "Thank you for today. I couldn't have done any of this without you. I'm really finally beginning to feel at home again," Emily said. "And thank you for last night…"

"You know I'll always be here for you. I'm just a phone call away if you need anything. And I mean anything," Morgan said, hoping this time around, Emily would be able open up to him – at least the nightmares were a good start.

"Thank you," Emily responded, leaning in to give him a hug they both felt had ended too quickly.

"See you tomorrow," he called. "Then work on Monday."

"Oh I can't wait…" she responded sarcastically as she watched him go, sadness already beginning to sweep over her as she realized she was alone again. But she knew she had to find her independence again.

So that night she tried – they both did – even though the nightmares came again; but this time, there was no one to take away the pain. And that is when they realized just how much they really needed each other.

**Hope you enjoyed it! Please don't forget to leave a comment :) **


	23. Hurt 7x03

_So here is a little addition to "Dorado Falls" – the training session we ALL wanted to see! It's fun and rather dramatic but I really wanted to expand on the storyline I have going with that. There are A LOT of feelings for both characters that the show just didn't really have time to touch on… but I do :D_

_Of course, I have to thank all of you incredibly, amazingly supportive reviewers! So THNAK YOU _Daisyangel, DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, Nix1978 and all the Guests.

_And ESPECIALLY the people who I can ALWAYS count on to be there for me as I write these Demily stories: criss128, jhplug and AnnKa. You all are seriously the BEST!_

_Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a review._

_I'm off to write a little chapter for Halloween now :D_

**Hurt**

**[7x03 – Dorado Falls]**

"**All that is left to bring you pain, are the memories. If you face those, you'll be free. You can't spend the rest of your life hiding from yourself; always afraid that your memories will incapacitate you, and they will if you continue to bury them."**

**- ****J.D. Stroube, **_**Caged in Darkness**_** -**

Emily had gotten up early that morning. It was the first day of her soon to be regular, again, training dates with Morgan. She couldn't sleep at all the night before, partly because she was nervous she would disappoint the one person she couldn't bear to let down again but most of all, because she couldn't remember being this excited about something since she had been back. Emily couldn't wait to see her best friend. They had so much time to make up for and she didn't want to waste a single moment now that she was home.

She rushed her way around the kitchen, _attempting _to multi-task as she made the coffee, prepped the fruit and remembered she needed to check the muffins in the oven for breakfast. But she was pulling her hair into a ponytail for the workout, and she was interrupted by a knock on her door. Emily slipped to the entryway of her apartment in her socks and proceeded to open the door to find Derek Morgan smiling back at her. "Morning Princess," he offered.

"Hi," she smiled back, reaching up to tighten her ponytail and ensure it was correctly in place because of her rushed manner.

"So, are you ready to train? You better bring it," Morgan asked.

"Oh you should be scared buddy. I just hope you can keep up with me. But then again you never could," Emily winked.

Derek was just about to respond before a strange look appeared on his face. "Emily, what is that smell?"

Emily's smile fell from her faced as she remembered the one thing she had forgotten to do in her rush to get ready. "Oh no," she breathed. "The muffins!" She rushed from the doorway, slipping rather ungracefully to her kitchen. Derek was right behind her, trying not to laugh at his partner's frazzled state.

"Muffins?" He asked as she reached quickly for the oven. "Em, I told you we could pick up breakfast on the way. Are you trying to make me fat?" He was just about to continue but stopped as he saw her reach into the oven and jerk her hand back quickly from the pain of the heat. It was only _then _Emily remembered she needed to grab the oven mitts. But Derek was way ahead of her.

"Here let me do it," he said as he jumped in and grabbed the pan with the mitts on. He placed the slightly brown muffins on the counter and moved to his partner. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said softly, her burnt finger still in her mouth.

"Come on," Derek responded as he reached up and took her wrist gently in his own hand. He turned on the cold water and placed her finger beneath the running water and moved his face to look into her own. "Better?" he asked.

"Much, thank you" she smiled, but annoyance was still evident on her face. "But now the muffins are ruined. So much for trying to do something nice."

"They aren't ruined. They're just the way I like them," Derek smiled as he popped a muffin in his mouth, earning an appreciative smile from Emily. "But how about next time, you let _me _do the cooking?"

"Deal," she laughed.

The partners had eaten the slightly toasty muffins and fruit along with their coffee on the way into one of the FBI training gyms. Since it was so early in the morning, this gym was closed. But as one of the head trainers, Derek had a key. Both Morgan and Prentiss were happy they would have the gym to themselves when they got to know each other again.

They started of with a run. Derek insisted they take it slow to begin with so Emily wouldn't hurt herself overdoing it. But she wouldn't hear of it. She set a brisk pace and in their traditional final lap race, she ended up at the finish line far ahead of her partner, laughing all the way.

"Not bad Princess. I went easy on you with that one," he panted to which Emily only gave him a disbelieving look. "But you better believe I'll be tough on the mat."

"Bring it on buddy." Emily countered as they made their way to the training mat to practice hand-to-hand combat.

They took the mat, practicing various defensive moves. It was the way they had worked out together so many times before Doyle had taken Emily away from the team, from him. It was nice for them both to be back together again, they way they had always been.

Emily and Derek took turns as the attacker while the other was the FBI agent. Morgan knew Emily was trying hard, too hard. And she knew it too. She was trying desperately to repair every aspect of their relationship. She knew he might never trust her again, but that didn't stop her from trying. Prentiss had to prove to Morgan that she was still the partner she had always been.

Morgan knew that already though. He knew she would be as prepared as possible; it was her nature. He wasn't as much concerned about her as he was about himself. His need to protect her now was greater than ever before, if that was even possible. Derek inwardly refused to let anything happen to Emily ever again. He had to make sure he was ready to protect her at all costs, because that is what it might take one day, and he wouldn't think twice about it if the time ever came. He had to make sure that he could focus on his job rather than let his worry for Emily take over his good judgment when the time came to save her.

He didn't want to make it too obvious but it already was. It was why Hotch continually paired him with JJ because he knew how greatly Emily's supposed death had affected her partner, her best friend. He knew how much Emily meant to him. So he wanted to make sure that his agent was able to do his job in the field above all else.

Now that they were back together though, the world was slowly but surely setting itself right again. They were so in sync with one another as they trained. Sometimes they knew the other's move before they even thought to make it themselves. But as they were trying to hard to prove themselves to one another, it happened.

It was an accident. He hadn't really meant to move his arm down. His instincts had taken over rational thought in reaction to her maneuver and his heart dropped the moment he realized what happened. _Where _it had happened. His mind had flashed to that dreadful night in the warehouse, remembering where his hands rested on her stomach, her blood covering them instantly, before he had moved to reach for her own just below the stake in her middle.

She had doubled over and was down on the floor in an instant. The pain was clear on her wincing face. Her arms were clutched tightly around her stomach, exactly where the wound was. The only sounds she made were fast, shallow breaths coupled with tiny whimpers in order to prevent her from crying.

Derek was next to her on the floor faster than a bullet. He rested an arm on her back while the other moved to the hand on her stomach. "Oh Em, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. What can I do?"

"Morgan, it's fine," Emily gasped, clearly still in a great deal of pain.

"No, it isn't Emily. How could I have been so stupid?" Derek railed at himself. "Let me do something. Do you need anything? Ice? Medicine? Say the word and I'll do it," he said worriedly.

"Oh Derek, thank you but it's okay. Really. It just hurts sometimes, the doctors say that it is still healing internally." she breathed. The wound still ached but the tears she was fighting back were from the pain in her heart. "It's just…" she began after telling herself that keeping secrets was the reason they were here in the first place. But the words caught in her throat.

"What is it?" he asked with concern.

"What if you were right?" she began as she gathered up the courage to face her fears. "What if I'm not ready? What if I'm never the same as I was? What if I let you down? What if next time I get hurt like this or worse, _you _get hurt and I freeze because I see him in my mind again? I could never live with that. It's not worth it. I shouldn't even be a part of the team anymore. I've ruined all your trust and I can't let you, any of you, get hurt because of me. Because of what _he _did to me."

He pulled her into his arms as her tears had finally begun to flow. At first she fought against him, protesting that she was okay as he reached for her and whispered soothingly to her. Emily only felt guilty and completely unworthy of the love her team was showing her despite how despicable she felt because of her lies, even if it hadn't been her choice at all. But he only pulled her tighter to him, knowing she needed this and refusing to let her go. The same way he refused to let her go the night that changed their lives forever. So she finally collapsed against him as the sobs wracked her body out of fear and regret.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered against his neck as she finally had finally allowed herself to cling to him. "I wanted to tell you but I knew what you would do and I just couldn't let you get hurt." She sat up, wiping her eyes. He followed her body with his as she continued to speak. "I'm really sorry," she said, regretting her outburst reverting back into her shell with her closed off demeanor before Doyle had ruined their lives.

"Emily, you know you don't have to be so tough anymore. You don't have to face these feelings alone. I'm your partner. Let me _be_ your partner Em. Let me be there for you. Doyle is gone and it's okay to be human – to _feel_. You're back where you belong now. Back with your family and we love you…." Derek said.

"How can you all still feel that way after I lied to you?" she asked him, angry with herself. "I let you all think I was _dead_! This isn't fair to you… You should all hate me but you treat me better than anyone ever has before." she exclaimed in disbelief.

"Emily," Derek said firmly. "Don't think for a single minute that we could ever hate you. Don't you know that we are just happy to have you back with us? I was miserable without you. I hated waking up every morning knowing that I had to come into work but that _you _wouldn't be there. You know you're not the only one who has nightmares," he prodded as they both remembered the night at his house only days before. "But with you here now, I know that when I wake up it won't feel the way it did before. I won't want to go back into a nightmare just to be able to see you again – now I know that my reality is better than any dream. Because you're back and that's all that matters."

"I am here. I _want _to be here. It's all I've wanted for the past seven months. But what if I'm not ready?" Emily asked, doubt still filling her mind.

"Don't you realize that by admitting all of this you _are _ready?" Derek asked. "I was worried about myself being ready because I can't imagine losing you again. But I know there is nothing we wouldn't do to protect each other, no matter what. Sure that was true before you left but now we know what it's like to lose a member of our team, our family. Iwill never let that happen."

"_We_ are never going to let that happen again," she countered as she hugged him once more, finally able to allow herself to open up again. It may still take a while for them to trust again but they were closer than they had ever been before because they were back together again. After all, that was all they really needed: each other.

"Want to call it a day?" Derek asked as he stood and offered a hand to pull her up. "You know that movie I told you about came out this weekend. I think we've done enough training for today. Are you in? I'll even cook you dinner because we all know we can't trust you in the kitchen."

"Oh very funny," she mocked as she playfully hit him on the shoulder as they walked towards the door. "That sounds great though. And I think I do owe you a backrub anyway. You certainly deserve it since I clearly won our training session."

"Now that sounds heavenly. Wait! What?" Derek exclaimed as he stopped in his tracks and finally processed her final statement. "_You _won? I'm pretty sure I _clearly _won," he called and ran after her as she merely walked ahead, laughing all the way.

_**Fine china once broken is twice as strong with the mending.**_

_**- Anonymous -**_

**Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a comment :D**


	24. Always 7x06

Hello all! Thank you everyone who has been reading & reviewing. You truly are the best! Well here is a chapter I am particularly excited about – I'll admit I shed a few tears trying to write this one. I really hope I did it justice. Let me know by reviewing!

I promise this story is FAR from over. I have plans for many more chapters as long as you all like them and my writing isn't too ridiculous. Let me know and I hope you enjoy!

**Always**

**[7x06 – Epilogue]**

_""I have spied for you and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter's son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter – "_

_"But this is touching, Severus," said Dumbledore seriously. "Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?"_

_"For him?" shouted Snape. "Expecto Patronum!"_

_From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe. She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears._

_"After all this time?"_

_"__**Always**__" said Snape. "_

_-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling-_

Morgan wrapped the blanket around Emily's soaked body, rubbing his hands up and down her shoulders to attempt to comfort her obvious shivers – mostly from the chill of the water, but also from the memory of her own encounter with death. He thought of when she mentioned it in front of the team. They hadn't talked much about that night, so he had no idea she remembered that moment in the ambulance – because he remembered it as well as she did – he was there too. Morgan knew her so well; he instantly knew what was affecting her. But he wouldn't bring it up – not yet – not here in front of the team.

But he knew where she would be tonight, where he had been so many nights since she returned. They never started out in the same bed – but at some point or another in the night, a scream or a cry would bring them together. Sometimes they would just lie there, comforted by the other's presence; and every now and then, he would just hold her in his arms, so that when the nightmares of that awful memory plagued her mind, she wouldn't wake up scared and alone. And when he remembered her slipping away from him, he would wake up with relief at her alive and safe in his arms.

So he drove her to her apartment after the case was over. It was getting late and all the agents really wanted to do was sleep. So Derek made soup, for them both as Emily showered the remains of the river off of her. And she emerged, of course not at all to Derek's surprise, in his old FBI shirt – the shirt he knew he would never get back.

They ate together, conversation present but all surface and small talk. They cleaned up the kitchen and Emily stood rather awkwardly in the doorway. But Derek spoke her thoughts before she mustered up the courage to voice them. "Can I stay tonight? This case just brought back to many memories," he said gently, sadness in his voice.

"I was hoping you would," Emily replied. They made their way towards the bedroom, and Derek lingered in front of his usual arrangements in the guest bedroom. "Will you stay with me?" Emily asked shyly. "You know you'll just end up there anyway. You always do..."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He replied, grateful she had wanted him with her the way he wanted her to be with her – the memories of that horrific night playing like a cruel movie on repeat in his mind, and he didn't want to face them alone.

So they made their way into her bedroom. Derek slipped off his shoes and had thankfully changed into sweatpants and another FBI t-shirt before, so he climbed into bed. Emily did the same, and to his surprise and enjoyment, scooted as close to him as she dared. It was only then that he noticed the tears running down her face. He reached over and wrapped his arms around her. "You okay?" he whispered.

"Can you just hold me?" she asked softly, afraid to answer his question. Sure it was unprofessional, it was against protocol. But it was the only way they could survive anymore – because it was the only way they had survived that night to begin with. After the absolute hell they had been through – and because they had been through it together - that was the _only_ way they could get past it now.

"It still feels so real," she said in a scared and shaky voice and he was instantly brought back to that terrifying ride in the ambulance and he remembered the comment she had made on the case.

"You still remember some of that night? The ambulance ride?" he asked, pain in his voice as fresh and as clear as it was in his own heart.

"I remember everything." Emily said, looking straight into his eyes. "I remember everything up until I was brought into the operating room. I remember Doyle, I remember the pain, but more than anything else, I remember that _you_ were with me, you stayed with me the _entire_ time."

They both just stared at each other, a million words, a million emotions and a million memories all running through their minds and into their hearts at once as they remembered that night out loud to one another. It was Emily who spoke first, recalling the most horrific day of her life – of both of their lives – as if it had only happened yesterday.

_She remembered lying on the ground, the cold, hard floor – so much pain filled her body but nothing compared to the pain in her heart. She felt so alone, helpless and scared. But she didn't regret what she had done – she had to protect Declan. And that is what she had done – and she knew she would die here doing it. She thought of the young boy she loved so much and then, she thought of her own family._

_The other family she was dying to protect, and her heart became even heavier. What she wouldn't give to have one more moment with them, with each of them: to talk about girly things with Garcia in her lair, to have one more heart-to-heart with Hotch in his office, to gain another piece of fatherly advice from Rossi, to go shopping with JJ, to play chess with Reid, and to be with Morgan. She couldn't figure out what activity she would have wanted to do with Morgan, she simply wanted to _be _with him – to be near him, just to feel his presence, his comfort once more. But in her mind, her memories were all she had to dwell on for the very little time she had left. So she closed her eyes, preparing herself for what she was sure to come, and she thought of her family._

_But a voice, so familiar, comforting and warm, broke through her thoughts as it called her name. And when she opened her eyes, she saw the man she had just seen in her own mind – and her heart fluttered with joy, knowing of anyone she would hope to see as she drew her final breaths, Derek Morgan was that man._

"_Prentiss!" he yelled again as he bent down beside her, but this time with a tone of relief and also horror that he had found her, found her like this. _

"_Morgan," she cried weakly, reaching up her hands for him, only to be reminded of the handcuffs still pinning her down. But Morgan beat her to it, he reached for her hands, compromising by holding them when all he really wanted to do was scoop her up in his arms, squeeze her tight and hold her forever and always._

"_Hey, it's me! I'm right here. You're going to be alright.__" Morgan says soothingly as he holds her hands even tighter. "__Stay with me, baby! Come on stay with me!" he says, louder this time._

"_Let me go," she whispered, though her heart was fighting the very words coming out of her mouth. But she knew she was dying, and she knew Derek Morgan sometimes better than she knew herself, and she had to make him let her go, or he would live with pain and guilt for the rest of his life._

_And exactly as she had expected, he refused to let her leave him." No, no I am NOT letting you go!" he demanded. He had to keep her alive, just long enough to get the medics to her, long enough to keep her with him because she was struggling so hard to keep her eyes open. So he began to share his heart, "Listen to me I know why you did all of this, I know what you did for Declan. I'm so proud of you!" _

_And finally, her eyes shot open to look into his eyes once more. And she knew if she died with this as her last vision as he spoke these words to her, she could die happy." Do you understand that?" he prodded. "I am proud of you because you are my friend and you are my partner!" At that, Emily's strength began to waver and she __closed her eyes as she smiled slightly. _

"_No! Emily! Come on stay with me! If you can hear me please just squeeze my hand." Her eyes remained closed but __Emily squeezed his hand, with such force he knew she could stay with him for just a while longer. __"Yes… there you go there you go Em! Just keep squeezing…" he said, willing her not to let go._

"_Where is my medic!" Morgan yelled at the entrance, furious at the valuable time being wasted. "Emily," Derek said, as he looked back down at his fading partner. He bent down, putting his face only inches away from her own as he reached one hand forward to stroke her cheek. "Come on Princess, you've got to stay with me. I'm not giving up on you! You've got to hold on!"_

_Emily's eyes fluttered but Derek could sense her breathing become even more labored. He lifted his head, looking around for something, anything, to help remove the handcuffs still on her. He spotted what looked like a bolt-cutter in the corner of the room of the old warehouse. "Emily," he whispered. "I'm not leaving you, I'll be right back. I promise," and as he let go of her hand, he felt as if his heart was being ripped from him._

_He moved as quickly as he could to the other side of the room and grabbed the cutters. "Princess, it's okay. I'm going to get these handcuffs off of you." He reached gently and cut the handcuffs, freeing her hands. He immediately reached to hold them once more, but Emily struggled to pull up one of her hands to touch his face for only a moment, and he closed his eyes, imprinting the feel of her touch in his mind forever. But before words could be spoken, the paramedics moved into the room._

_They told him he needed to move away but soon realized, their requests were futile – this man was not leaving her side. They moved Prentiss onto the stretcher, working around the interlocked hands of the agents, and began to roll her out to the ambulance. _

_Morgan held onto Emily as though it were his own life on the line. And just as he never let go of her hand, he never stopped talking to her – never stopped telling her to hold on._

_They were beginning to load Emily into the ambulance, Morgan by her side, and Hotch quickly made his way over to them. Before he even spoke, Morgan turned to Hotch. "Did you find Doyle?" he asked worriedly. _

"_No," Hotch said. "He escaped."_

"_I'm going with her Hotch. I'm not letting her leave us for good," Morgan said, Hotch noticing the tears in his eyes._

"_Go," he said with understanding. "The team will meet you at the hospital."_

_Morgan climbed into the ambulance behind the paramedics, "I'm here Em," he said, reaching for Emily's hand to comfort her in the new surrounding of bright lights and monitors._

_The paramedics got to work: placing a breathing mask on Prentiss along with attempting to get her pulse stabilized. But suddenly, Derek's heart plummeted when he heard the paramedics voices rise and realized Emily's breathing was becoming quick and strained._

"_I've lost the pulse!" one of the medics screamed, sending Derek into a panic._

_Another paramedic moved his way to check her heartbeat with his stethoscope. "I don't have a heartbeat!" he cried. _

_They moved to open her shirt – delicately, as not to disturb the stake in her stomach – and brought the defibrillator down to her chest, but not until Derek caught a glimpse of the reddened wound on Emily's chest – it was in the shape of a clover, and his hatred grew even stronger than he thought possible for Doyle. But right now, all he cared about was bringing Emily back._

_The paramedics attempted to restart Emily's now quiet heart but to no avail. "No, Emily!" Derek yelled, tears running down his face, but she still wasn't breathing. So he bent down beside her, his cheeks touching her own – wetting them with his tears - as he placed his mouth directly on her ear and simply breathed her name, over and over and over again, pleading and willing her to come back, to stay with him._

_And suddenly, her breath caught in her throat as she took a deep gasp of air as her eyes fluttered open again. "Derek…" she whispered weakly, as she squeezed his hand holding her own._

_Morgan began to cry even harder, head still inches from hers, but this time with tears of joy and he smiled wider than he ever had before. He had hope – he knew if she could pull through this then she could pull through anything. Derek felt sure in his heart that she would survive – and she would – only, he couldn't know until months later, months filled with agony and regret – for both of them._

_Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. Derek dismounted the ambulance along side Emily's stretcher, running with the paramedics towards the operating room as he held her hand. They made it to the doors when an older nurse stopped Derek in his tracks and began to speak. "I'm sorry sir but this is as far as you can go."_

"_No, I have to stay with her. She's my partner." Derek argued._

"_You have to let the doctors do their job."_

"_Make sure you do all you can for her. Anything. Everything." Derek sighed._

"_I promise you we will. You know, she's lucky to have you," she said with a sympathetic smile. "We'll keep you updated." The nurse said gently, placing a tender hand on his shoulder in a motherly gesture._

"_Hold on, Emily." Derek said as she was being rolled away. But he was able to make eye contact with her one last time, knowing she heard his words, knowing she had held on this long and she could for even longer. _

_And then the adrenaline was gone, and Derek's body began to shiver with heart-wrenching sobs. He fell against the wall and to the floor outside of the operating room. He put his head in his hands and began to pray harder than he ever had before. Praying he would be able to look into her eyes once more, praying to feel her touch once again, and praying he would just see her beautiful smile._

And it was Derek who spoke the last memories of that night. The story was over. It had happened long ago. But the memories it held in their minds made them feel as if they were back in that situation on that very night. They looked at each other, not caring about the tears running down their faces.

"You remember all of that?" Derek asked Emily.

"Every moment. Every word." She said. "I remember thinking that I had to hold on so I could tell you I did – for you. Derek, _you_ are the reason I'm alive right now. I had given up but then you came. You told me to hold on, you told me you wouldn't let me go, and I knew you wouldn't. So I held on. And I'm so sorry you couldn't know until now."

"Hey," he soothed. "It's okay. They had to keep you safe." He began warily, "But JJ told me about the day you woke up…"

"She did?" she asked in shock.

"I was upset when you came back. I thought you still didn't trust me. But she pulled me aside and she told me the truth. The way you screamed for the team, the way you wanted to tell me you were alive so I didn't carry any guilt. And now I know it's because you remember that night. I know that you _did _want us to know the truth."

"Thank you," she began. "Thank you for never letting me go. For fighting for me even after you thought it was over."

"Always," he said into her eyes. "But thank _you_ for holding on," he added as she smiled.

No more words were spoken, they pulled one another just a bit closer and fell into a peaceful sleep, thankful because they knew they would _always _have each other…

**Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment and I promise I will write faster! **


	25. Scars 7x12

**So I really have so many things to do but this story kept nagging me so I had to put it down on paper and share it with you all before I went crazy –**

**well, more crazy than I already am…**

**If you're like me, you thought "Unknown Subject" was a pretty great episode, but lacked some of the Demily we all love so much. (Seriously though, that jet scene, I don't get all the hype – I'm pretty sure "A Thin Line's" jet scene put whatever that was supposed to be to shame.) But I ramble needlessly as always.**

**So I hope you like this little "Missing Moment."**

**And of course, ****please review and I really will write faster****! Thank you to **_**DreamerChild88, criss128, jhplug, Nix 1978, erica1021 **_**and all the **_**guests**_** who have been so faithful in reading and reviewing this story. Seriously, I love you all.**

**And of course, I don't own anything.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Scars

[7x12 – "Unknown Subject"]

"_I know the memories are rushing into your mind_

_I wanna kiss your scars tonight, baby_

_'Cause you gotta try_

_You gotta let me in_

_Let me in_

_Oh, I feel your heartbeat_

_And you're coming around, coming around, coming around_

_The Fray, "Heartbeat"_

Derek had looked everywhere, but he couldn't find Emily. She had rushed out of the police station after taking statements. He had become so worried about her after overhearing her interview with Regina that he knew had brought up her memories of Doyle.

He had rushed to the hotel to find her but JJ told him she had already left. He knew what happened when Doyle came back to haunt her memories – awake and asleep - and he didn't want her to be alone any longer than she had too. He hurried to pack his things and tried to make his way to the airport, but he was stopped by Reid who slowed him down with questions about wrapping up the case and then he asked for a lift to the airport. They finally got on the road but a flat tire put rather a kink in Derek's timetable. He didn't think he'd ever make it to the airport.

Emily had escaped the police station as quickly as she could. Just when she thought she could control her emotions – hide them away as she always did – something brought them right back out again. So she had packed her things and gone to the airport because all she wanted to do was get out of this place.

She sat on the plane, alone with her thoughts until Hotch appeared, catching her unawares. She was close to losing all control when told him she was having a bad day. Hotch asked her what she needed but Emily insisted once they left this place, still attempting to control herself. But she held on, still mustering up enough strength to hold it together until she was home alone – terrified and scared of a ghost who haunted her every day. But one man was not going to let that happen.

Prentiss obviously didn't want to talk anymore so she put in her headphones, pulled out a book and planned to hold in her emotions for only a few more hours until she could lock herself away at her home and wallow in self-pity. Hotch excused himself to call Jack to let him know his dad would be home soon.

Everyone on the team arrived early except for Morgan and Reid who were running behind because of the flat tire. Morgan was furious at the turn of events and their lateness, which he claimed was because of Reid's inability to help change a tire. He may be a genius but working on cars were not his strong suit.

Morgan noticed Prentiss as he boarded the plane, but she merely looked at him for only a second and returned to her book, she was trying to hold back the tears welling in her eyes but he noticed immediately. He became discouraged as he looked at her and realized instantly that she had retreated deep back into her walls of protection. But he vowed to do everything in his power to make sure those walls didn't go up permanently. As a result, he started to form a plan in his mind of just how he would help to break them down.

The plane landed and Emily again rushed off before Derek could catch her. But he wasn't about to give up that easily. He jumped in his car, raced to the store and then on to Emily's place. Her lights were on and he prayed she would let him in.

Emily sat staring blankly at the cheesy romance movie on her television screen – scoffing at the storyline of a couple so in love that she had dreamed of as a little girl but long since given up on. She was attempting to forget the past case but failing miserably when she heard a knock from behind her. She was startled at first but got up, turned off the TV ad made her way towards the door. She looked out her peephole to find Derek Morgan flashing his brightest smile.

"Morgan, what do you want?" Emily asked in a half-joking and half-annoyed manner as she opened the door.

"Is that really the way to greet the man who came all this way to bring you his Chunky Monkey ice cream to share?" Derek mocked.

"Really?" Emily exclaimed in excitement and disbelief. "Wait. What's it going to cost me?" she asked skeptically.

"Can't a friend bring another friend the most delicious ice cream on the planet just because?" Derek smiled.

Emily knew Derek had a very particular reason for coming here but conceded anyway. "Fine," Emily laughed half-heartedly but gratefulness still showed on her face. They made their way to her living room when she turned to him with her hand outstretched and said, "Hand it over and no one gets hurt."

"Yes ma'am," Derek laughed. He went to get two spoons from the kitchen and soon joined her on the couch.

"Thank you for this." Emily began. "But I know you too well, Derek Morgan. What _is_ your hidden agenda in all of this?" Emily asked, a little afraid that his answer would be exactly what she didn't want to talk about – not now, not ever.

"I came to see if you were all right." Morgan said.

Emily put on her best diplomatic face, feeling a bit too much like her mother, and answered, "Of course I'm all right. It was a long case but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Emily," Derek began softly. "I know this case hit really close to home with you. I saw how it affected you. I saw you on the plane. I know those memories are still as fresh as the day they happened – they are for me." Derek stopped, trying to compose himself as he remembered one of the worst days of his life – he was struggling so hard to keep it together. But Emily's walls were also breaking down with every word he spoke. She had tried to hide it from everyone but as usual, Morgan had seen straight through her. He continued, "Emily, I heard what she said. I heard what she said when she gave you her statement,"

"You did?" she whispered.

"She demanded to only talk to you. I didn't know what would happen. So I made sure I was right outside that door in case anything went wrong. Emily, I know it's still hard for you. I know you still think of the terrible things Doyle did to you. But he's gone Emily. He can't hurt you anymore."

Emily's head was down, but Derek held his stare on her, willing her to speak to him. She finally began to whisper, sounding as if the tears would begin to fall any moment. "But he does. He hurts me every day, every night because I can't get him out of my head. Those memories, what I did, what he did to me – it ruined my life. And he didn't just ruin my life… he ruined me." Emily sniffed as she whispered those final words.

Derek just looked at Emily, she was so broken, so hurt – and his heart felt as if it was being crushed by the weight of the world. "Emily!" he began. "He can't hurt you anymore… You're not ruined…"

"No!" Emily cried. "I can't sleep through a whole night without waking up screaming because he's always there – you know that better than anyone. But do you know what else? I can't look at myself in the mirror without being disgusted at my ugliness because of the scars he left on me." She placed her hand on her stomach right where Doyle had hurt her. "But those scars go even deeper than that, Derek. I can't have children… The doctor said I have a 16% chance of getting pregnant. 16% percent! And even if some miracle happened and I did, the complications that could come from my injuries would put the baby's life in too much danger. But it doesn't matter anyway because no man has ever been willing to even consider me ever since my mission with Doyle because I'm just distant and closed-off – emotionally, physically, mentally…and I'm scared and I'm ugly and ruined and it's all because of him!" She was crying now, her body wracking with sobs she couldn't contain. She'd never broken down like this, it wasn't how she was raised. Emily Prentiss had never been allowed to show her feelings – but she had finally had enough, and this was her breaking point because if anyone could come close to understanding, Derek Morgan could.

Derek's heart ached for Emily as he processed all she had told him. But he looked at her and lifted her face with a finger under her chin so he could look her straight in the eyes. "Emily, don't you ever think that you are ugly for a moment." Derek protested with all sincerity.

"You haven't seen them." She replied defensively, avoiding his gaze once more.

"Then let me see..." he began.

"What!" she cried in disbelief.

"Let me see them," he whispered softly.

"Why?" she asked weakly.

"I need to prove something to you."

She looked at him with eyes filled with tears and confusion, not budging an inch.

"Emily, trust me." Derek spoke softly as he touched her face to wipe away a tear.

She was hesitant but she trusted Derek Morgan with every fiber of her being. So she gradually moved her fingers towards the bottom of her shirt. She grabbed for it hesitantly and slowly lifted it to expose only her stomach area. Her hands were shaking, her heart was racing and her breathing was becoming fast and heavy – scared and embarrassed of her scarred form.

But Derek was the picture of calm. He looked into her eyes with strength until she exposed her abdomen, and then cautiously looked down. His eyes welled with tears as his fingers moved to delicately trace the large scar across Emily's pale skin. Her heart began racing even faster now, she was embarrassed and scared but she also felt something else - Derek's touch felt warm – full of tantalizing electric shock waves that made her feel dizzy.

"Do you know what I see when I look at this? When I look at you?" Derek asked as he moved his gaze to look directly into the tear-filled eyes that stared back at him like those of a lost child. He didn't wait for her to answer as he continued, hands still resting on her stomach. "I see a brave, strong, beautiful woman. And that scar is one of the most beautiful features you have." Emily only scoffed at him in disbelief. "Don't you know why? Because it's a reminder of the way you love – the way you loved your family, the way you were willing to do anything to keep that little boy and us safe. And it's a reminder of the way you fought to hold on and stay alive that night even when I thought I'd lost you. That scar is the most attractive thing to me because it's on _you _– a beautiful, breathing_ you_ that I never thought I'd see again after that night except in my memories and my own nightmares. Emily, that scar proves to me that you're alive and that I got my wish - you're here with me again."

Emily was speechless, sobbing, but with gasps of disbelief that anyone could see her like that. She had been in her darkest state but somehow, someone pulled her out of it and she felt, for the first time since she could remember, that she could do anything and not feel ashamed because of her past – and that someone was none other than Derek Morgan. The very man who had saved her from her darkest state that night in the warehouse, and helped give her a reason to hold onto life.

"Oh Derek," Emily whispered through her tears and flashed him her widest smile. She leaned forward and hugged him as tightly as he had held onto her the very night she got that scar. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. Derek wrapped his arms around her even tighter, both shedding tears cleansing the pain and relishing in their joy. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, but still too short of a time for the both of them.

"It's getting late," Emily began, wiping her tears.

"Yeah… I guess I should go." Derek began hesitantly, not wanting to leave at all.

"Or you could stay?" Emily said questioningly, with a hint of hopeful expectation in her voice. "Derek… would you stay?

"I thought you'd never ask." Derek winked.

"I know they'll come again tonight." Emily said, still ashamed of the way Doyle haunted her nightmares.

"No they won't." Derek responded as he reached out for her hand to lead her. "Because I'll be right here with you. And if they do, you'll wake up and I'll be there and you'll know there is nothing he can do to hurt you anymore."

So they made their way to the bedroom, assuming their now regular positions in the bed side by side – not touching – but acutely aware of the other's presence. However, as Derek reached to turn off the lamp, he slid onto his side and snuggled in closer to Emily as he placed his hand on top of her stomach – exactly where her scar was. Emily simply smiled and snuggled closer into Derek as she placed her own hand on top of his, inhaling his intoxicating scent, listening to his steady heartbeat and feeling safer than she had ever felt before. And they both drifted off to a night of peaceful sleep– something that only came when they were together, in each other's arms.

They both knew their relationship had grown since she returned – and that it was growing far past the professional level the FBI expected of them. But they told themselves that they had unique circumstances – there was no FBI manual on how to deal with the death of your partner and then how to deal with finding them alive again. They were unsure themselves of how one was supposed to handle a situation like that. However, all they cared about was that their team was back together, that they were back together – that their relationship had become twice as strong and as deep with the healing of their own scars.

They were back together: if not simply as partners, even more so as friends. And if they were honest with themselves, they each secretly hoped they were finally becoming something more.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave a comment!**


	26. Guilt: Part 1 7x15

_**Thank you everyone who has read, liked and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this next chapter which will be a two-parter. **_

_**If you have ANY suggestions or requests for a chapter from a particular episode please don't hesitate to ask! I'm always looking for ideas from the many episodes of CM.**_

_**I LOVE reviews as they are SO helpful so please click that little button and review. Hope you enjoy!**_

"Guilt – Part 1"

Episode Tag: A Thin Line 7x15

_"Guilt upon the conscience, like rust upon iron, both defiles and consumes it, gnawing and creeping into it, as that does which at last eats out the very heart and substance of the metal."_

–_Bishop Robert South-_

All she could hear was her own rapid heartbeat in her ears. Gun pointed… eyes trained… she'd done it a hundred times. Yet it never failed that when pursuing an Unsub, her blood started pumping and the adrenaline rush began. And ever since her run in with Doyle, she couldn't help but experience an extra dose of fear in the pit of her stomach, ironically right where an encounter with a certain table leg had left an almost fatal wound.

Standing in the night air, she knew something was amiss. It was far too quiet and dark within the residence to be a simple invasion. The power seemed to be out in the house, throwing her senses into overdrive for what she knew had to do. She looked at JJ and signaled her plan. As point, she would move in first. She breathed in deeply, suppressing the demons that still arose within her ever since her traumatic experience with Doyle, and entered the house; unaware she was about to relive her fears.

What happened next was a complete blur. She opened the door, gun trained into the dark abyss. As her eyes adjusted, a figure emerged and the gleam of the metal of a gun flashed before her eyes. The protocol words of "FBI" had barely left her mouth when a burning pain seized her arm accompanied with the deafening sound of a gunshot. She fell to the ground, attempting to simultaneously regain control of her breathing while telling JJ to move on in after the attacker.

Emily's arm continued to burn. She wrapped her hand around the wound, hoping to stifle the blood as she heard the events unfold upstairs. In her mind she prayed Morgan and JJ would come out unscathed. The gunshot she heard and the captive woman's screams did not ease her fears until she heard Morgan's voice speak to JJ as quickly as he could about looking over the scene.

"Where's Emily?" he immediately asked. Prentiss heard his urgent concern and couldn't help but smile.

"He shot her. But she said she was okay. She's downstairs." JJ replied.

Practically a millisecond later, Emily heard what could have been a herd of elephants descending the stairs at rapid speed. Morgan reached the bottom step and frantically looked around for his partner.

"Morgan…" Emily called to him, sounding a bit more whiny than usual – both because of the loss of blood she was experiencing but also because of her fluttering heartbeat at the sight of Derek Morgan rushing to save her, as he always did.

"Emily!" Morgan yelled as he rushed to her and crouched down by her side. He put his hand behind her shoulder and looked at her wound. When she cringed a bit from pain as she removed her hand, he rubbed circles in her back to soothe her. He moved his other hand over her own and squeezed tightly. Once again he looked up into her eyes, "We'll just keep the pressure on it. The medics will be here as fast as they can."

"Okay. I promise it's really not that bad," Emily said. Admittedly she had been through worse, but the pain in her arm certainly wasn't going away.

"Well we aren't taking any chances. I'm not leaving your side the entire time," Morgan replied in all seriousness. The concern in his voice overwhelmed Emily.

"Thank you," she said, as she looked deep in his eyes; thinking of another time when he stayed by her side but the outcome of that story was much more bleak. She knew he wasn't taking any chances by letting her out of his sight this time. Emily knew Derek trusted her again, but losing her was not something he would let happen now that he had another chance with her.

"You've really got to stop getting hurt Princess. It's like you're a magnet for it. My nerves just can't take much more," Morgan said in an attempt at a joke, but they both knew just how serious he really was. So Emily simply smiled apologetically back at him.

"Well I _will_ try but you know how these UnSubs just have a mind of their own."

Derek shrugged a laugh but his worry still consumed him. Thankfully for Emily, two paramedics emerged through the doorway at this moment. They looked after her wound, Morgan hovering over them as he kept a watchful eye on his partner. Though she practically refused a ride on the stretcher, she was placed on it at Derek's insistence and wheeled to the ambulance and he walked with her every step of the way until Hotch appeared and Derek informed him of the situation as well as the fact that he would be riding with her to the hospital.

Hotch nodded immediately as he looked between them both, knowing the bond these two members of his team had and how it had grown in the past year. Hotch understood the importance of Morgan's involvement in Emily's recovery ever since Morgan had given his statement to Hotch about his time with Prentiss in the warehouse the day Doyle had ruined all of their lives. It had taken over an hour for Morgan to make it through the story in between his heart wrenching sobs and angry outbursts about what he witnessed.

Hotch knew his team was affected, but it was then that he realized just how special and deep the bond between these two partners really was, and that was one moment he was the closest to spilling the secret truth to Morgan about Emily and then personally buying a plane ticket to Paris for him. But protocol won out in the end, and Hotch hoped for the day when Morgan could free himself from the guilt of that dreadful night – as he still hoped to do for himself after Haley's death by Foyet.

Emily was reluctantly loaded into the ambulance and Derek crawled in directly behind her. Her shirt was promptly cut off at the arm and the paramedic began cleaning her wound and prepping it for a shot of painkillers. Always tough as nails, Emily attempted to hide her painful discomfort but Derek saw right through her.

He squeezed her hand into his as she transferred her gaze from her wounded arm to his face, transporting them both back to the night in the warehouse when his solid hold on her had been her lifeline. They didn't speak over the paramedics, but simply held each other's gaze on the short ride to the hospital.

Emily's pain was already disappearing. Though she could have easily attributed it to the shot of painkillers she had been injected with, and if asked that is certainly what she would have said had done the trick. But inside she knew the real reason. Derek's presence, his hold on her, and finally his smile had made her feel better than any medicine could. After all, it's why she was alive today. That same special medicine is what kept her on this earth that day in the warehouse and though she had thanked him, she resolved to finally tell him the truth after tonight. Near death experiences seemed to be the best way to sort out your priorities and come clean with the truth. And she had certainly had her fair share of them.

Emily wasn't surprised when Derek followed along side her stretcher into the examination room. She would have told him it wasn't necessary but knew how important it was to him to protect her. She didn't want him to blame himself the way he had before so she would make every possible effort to ensure he didn't feel that way. And though she would never admit it, she did enjoy his concern because it was just for her. And she knew she would have done the same for him.

Derek continually asked if she was comfortable or if she needed anything. Before she could respond to his tenth question with a sarcastic remark, a short knock was heard on the door and a woman about Emily's age entered the examination room. She introduced herself to them both as Dr. Kate Ramsey and assessed Emily's wound. Derek watched with concern even after she had finished.

"Well Agent Prentiss, the bullet seems to simply have made a puncture wound and left no permanent damage. However it is still lodged in there so I will need to remove it. It will be a quick outpatient procedure in which you will be awake but we'll load you up with pain meds and you should only feel a bit of discomfort. After that we'll stitch you up and Agent Morgan here can take you home to rest. But you'll need to be in a sling for at least two weeks for a complete recovery." Naturally, Emily rolled her eyes at that but before she had time to issue a retort, Morgan stepped in.

"I'll make sure she does exactly what you say Doctor" he said.

"Well you better," Dr. Ramsey said with a smile. "Well Agent Prentiss, if you don't have any questions, we can get you prepped and perform the procedure right now."

"That will be fine. Thank you Doctor."

Dr. Ramsey left the room and a nurse was sent in to administer more painkillers to Emily and then informed her she would need to change into a hospital gown for the process. Morgan took that as his cue to leave the room.

"I'm having Garcia bring you some clothes. The team is waiting for us so we'll just go straight to the airport from here."

"Alright. And Derek, thank you" Emily responded. Derek just nodded as he looked at her with pain and worry on his face and Prentiss' mind went into overdrive attempting to figure out how to make sure he stopped blaming himself for what happened to her. But the drugs took over and clouded her thoughts. The nurse soon left the room and Derek returned with Dr. Ramsey and her assistant close behind.

"Now Emily I'm going to begin the procedure. The pain meds should have kicked in by now but you will still feel pressure and probably a good amount of discomfort. So I would advise you to hold Agent Morgan's hand if it feels to uncomfortable so the pain won't cause you to jerk your injured arm while I make the incision."

Emily cautiously reached out to take hold of Derek's hand once more, and instantly felt a calm wash over her body: His comfort still as strong as it had been that night in the warehouse.

"Good," Dr. Ramsey continued. "Now it shouldn't take long, but I need you to keep your eyes and mind off of my operating area." At this Emily turned her head to Morgan. Soon she felt the pressure of the incision and the tools reaching for the bullet lodged in her arm. Though she tried to hide it, the pain was clear on her face as her eyes scrunched together and pressed her lips together; her hand squeezed Derek's hand rather tightly and he never stopped squeezing back.

Less than five minutes later, Dr. Ramsey announced that not only was the bullet removed but the stitches were in place as well. Though Emily was clearly the patient, she told Morgan that she had prescribed Emily pain medication and well as anti-infection antibiotics and it was ready to be picked up at the pharmacy. The nurse then returned and put Emily in sling Dr. Ramsey said needed to be worn for at least two weeks but Emily swore in her mind she would removed the minute they got in the car. As if reading her thoughts, Derek told the doctor he would ensure Emily not only took her medication but also stayed in the swing as long as prescribed. After thank-yous and goodbyes were exchanged, a male nurse brought in a wheelchair for Emily while Derek signed the discharge papers for her.

But as the nurse went to push Emily out of the room, Derek made his way over to them and stated, "I'll take it from here." The familiar words rung in Emily's mind and she couldn't help but smile a little.

"Oh yes, you do like pushing me around" she quipped with a grin.

"Always Princess" Derek whispered as he leaned down with a wink. But as he stood back up, his smile vanished and his look of guilt and concern covered his face once more. Emily knew she was going to have to do something to pull Morgan out of his constant struggle with the guilt that always accompanied her getting hurt. And she knew she couldn't wait long.

…To Be Continued…

**Please Review! It really helps me write better and faster!**


	27. Guilt: Part 2 7x15

_**Thank you everyone who has read, liked and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this next chapter of the two-parter. **_

_**If you have ANY suggestions or requests for a chapter from a particular episode please don't hesitate to ask! I'm always looking for ideas from the many episodes of CM.**_

_**Sorry it took so long for me to get this one up! I've been busy since graduation but I have about 3 more chapter ideas dancing around in my head so I hope to type them up and put them up here ASAP!**_

_**Also, this one alludes to a lot more Demily relationship moments that I promise I WILL touch on in future chapters so bear with me!**_

_**I LOVE reviews as they are SO helpful so please click that little button and review and I'll write faster! Hope you enjoy!**_

"Guilt – Part 2"

Episode Tag: A Thin Line 7x15

"**My sleep wasn't peaceful, though. I have the sense of emerging from a world of dark, haunted places where I traveled alone." **

― **Suzanne Collins, **_**Mockingjay**_**: **_**The Hunger Games Trilogy**_

Emily had tried everything on the plane to help Derek's guilt go away. When humor hadn't worked, she tried for a softer and more serious approach. Derek seemed to open up a bit more after this and so then she reverted back to humor – except she still couldn't decide whether it was too soon to joke about Doyle. But joking about it was one of the only ways she knew how to drive away the haunting darkness that always visited her when she was reminded of what Ian had done to her. She needed a way to cope for herself and knew, after their training sessions and constant time spent together, Derek needed it too.

He was the only one she could talk to about Doyle, no matter how painful the memories were for them both, they were always able to comfort one another through the pain they both felt. He comforted her when Doyle haunted her nightmares ever since she returned and she comforted him simply by being alive again. Sometimes she would catch him staring at her – at the round table, on the jet, out to dinner with the team or even when they watched movies together at one of their places – it was like he was trying to reassure himself that she really was back and then memorizing her in his mind so that if she ever left again, he would have her with him forever; even though he would die himself before ever letting her go again. So after this all too familiar close call with death, they both knew exactly what they wanted, but they were both just too stubborn to say it out loud.

The plane landed and Morgan had already made it clear to the rest of the team that he would see to all of Emily's needs. They all began to exit the plane, each with knowing glances back at the long-time partners, understanding the deep emotional connection that was reforming after the tragic events of last year. Exiting the plane last, Rossi and JJ shared a knowing smile, each perceptively understanding that this relationship had always held something more but that these two would have to figure out for themselves when the healing process was over and the time was finally right.

Derek however was oblivious to this, as he had stood up immediately after the plane landed and stepped over to wake Emily who had fallen asleep. He bent down close to her face and whispered her name ever so softly as he touched her uninjured arm. Emily stirred slightly, eyes opening to look up at him as her lips upturned into the smallest of smiles. She slowly stood and stretched her aching body before reaching for her bag. But Derek was too quick and had already grabbed all of her things along with his own. Always the independent, she was about to argue but Morgan sensed her intention and gave her a challenging look.

"You're coming with me, and don't even think about arguing with me Princess," he began. "I'm taking you home and I'm going to make sure you do everything Dr. Ramsey told you."

Inwardly Emily couldn't be happier Derek would be with her tonight and perhaps even longer. She had always been taught to squelch and hide her emotions while appearing strong on the outside but ever since Doyle, she had lost track of the number of seemingly endless nights in Paris in which she had cried herself to sleep in terror from her memories, desperation over the loss of her family, and self-loathing because of the lies that always seemed to saturate her life. Yet while some found escape in peaceful sleep, the nightmares that she knew would soon come to haunt her only filled her with a dread that disturbed her to her very core. But tonight, Derek would be with her and the nightmares were always bearable with him.

When she had finally returned and Doyle had been killed right before her eyes, the nightmares still didn't go away but she realized one particularly difficult night, that she wasn't the only one whose sleeping mind was a prison of painful memories that played tricks on her. So though she knew the nightmares would surely visit her tonight, Derek would be there with her, as he always was just when she needed and she had nothing to fear.

They made their way to Derek's car. Her own car was already at her home because she and Derek had agreed to carpool and grab breakfast together before their training tradition the morning they received the case. It had been months since he first requested they train together again but their training had never ended, and neither one of them wanted it to. After all, it was what had lead to the closeness of their current relationship in the first place.

Derek had helped Emily into the car after loading both of their things and drove in the direction of her home. However Emily couldn't help but notice Derek's detour to a Target store. She looked at him quizzically and he immediately sensed her confusion.

"You have to eat before you take your medicine and seeing as how I know the only food you have in your apartment is poptarts and food for Sergio, I thought I might grab us something to cook for dinner." He explained. "And I'd like to buy you a few staples all _normal_ people have in their home so you don't starve!" he added with a wink.

"Oh what would I do without you?" she remarked sarcastically towards him. A short silence followed as they simply looked at one another and smiled softly before Derek made his way into the store alone. They both knew the answer to that question and were thankful for their second chance with one another – both resolving to make the best of the rare opportunity they had been blessed with.

They arrived at Emily's home a short while later. Although Emily offered to help with the groceries, Derek wouldn't hear of it. He made sure she was settled inside and proceeded to make three trips back and forth bringing in the luggage and his purchases.

"Well cooking can't be that dangerous so at least let me start preparing part of dinner," Emily requested. "I need to do something!"

"And you can," Derek began. He reached into one of the bags of purchases and pulled out a book he had seen Emily looking at in the airport earlier. She couldn't hide her smile and reached out for the gift. "Come with me." Derek beckoned her.

He moved swiftly towards her bedroom and made his way towards her bathroom. Emily was unsure of what to expect but followed him in blind trust. "You can do something – relax in a hot bubble bath with this book." Her face began contorting into a look of protest but he quickly continued before she could voice her objections. "I'm making dinner and there is nothing you can do or say to change that. You are resting and that's the end of it."

Completely defeated but reveling in the idea of getting lost in her new book, Emily reverted to a smile. Derek turned to begin filling the tub with water. When he stood back into place for a few moments and finally turned around to a sound of a throat clearing he found Emily staring at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked.

"Well I can't exactly start your job for me until you leave."

"Oh! Right!" Derek started, almost jumping towards the door. Emily couldn't help but smile when his protective side took over every other thought within him. "Are you sure you don't need anything before I go?"

"I'm good. Really. Just let me know when dinner's ready and I'll be there!"

"Ok, will do. Now just relax and enjoy yourself Princess. It's the only way to heal the fastest." Derek added as he made his way to exit.

"Derek…" Emily called after him before he closed the door. "Thank you."

They shared another moment of smiles and both went to their tasks – never once losing the smile the other had brought out within them. Emily thought Derek's guilt was finally wearing off and hoped it would stay that way. They had worked so hard the past few months to rebuild their relationship and she didn't want anything to affect it negatively.

About an hour later, Emily was emerging from the bathtub more relaxed than she had been in a long time. Pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a loose fitting FBI t-shirt along with her swing was immensely more difficult than she had expected. After about 15 minutes of maneuvering and discovering contortionist skills she had no idea she possessed, she finally managed to get dressed and proceeded to make her way to the kitchen where an array of smells and sounds enticed her eager senses.

As she turned the corner she couldn't help but smile at the sight before her. Derek had found her Michael Buble playlist on her iPod and was dancing to the music in the background as he put the finishing touches on their dinner of salad and pasta. She gazed at Derek as he danced his way to the parmesan cheese and gracefully tossed the salad but was startled when he suddenly turned around and stopped in his tracks the moment he saw her and a wide embarrassed smile quickly crept its way onto his face. "I didn't know I was going to get dinner _and_ a show" Emily quipped quickly.

"Ha Ha, very funny Princess" Derek retorted, still embarrassed Emily had caught him. But she just smiled in return and he could do nothing but smile back. "You got here just in time. Dinner is ready. Just go on and sit right over there."

Derek brought their food over to the table where they talked as they always did – comfortably and for hours. They talked about the case and Emily gave her opinion on how she believed that politics destroys people. Derek agreed and told her stories of old cases he worked in Chicago where politics got in the way of justice. But then she told him all about the book he had bought her after he asked her about it. So they decided to both read it and go see the movie that was made based on the book together.

Hours had passed into the night but neither of them noticed until Emily stifled a yawn, which she instantly regretted because it put Derek into overprotective mode once more. He immediately made his way into the kitchen to get her medicine, which he made her take in front of him and then insisted she go straight to bed. Though she protested like a child he simply wouldn't back down. He told her that her health was the most important thing and she knew not to argue with him.

She hated being told what to do but she secretly relished how he took care of her. She was used to disappointment but couldn't help but get her hopes up that he would stay longer. Emily felt safe with Derek. They had always been partners but their connection ran deeper than most. He was always there to protect her and watch over her when she was hurt or in danger. Ever since Doyle, Emily had lived in fear but it seemed to dissipate when she was with him. So when she thought of the nightmares that would surely revisit her tonight she could only hope he would be there to comfort her as he had in the past. As if reading her mind, he told her he would clean up in the kitchen and sleep in the guest room – still there but out of her way – so he would be here in the morning to see she was fed and ensure took her medicine. Then Derek walked Emily by the arm to her bedroom.

"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" he asked for what, to Emily, felt like the millionth time.

"Derek, really, I'm okay." Emily responded. But her face betrayed her as she looked into the dark bedroom and pondered a night alone with only her memories to haunt her sleep.

"You're still having them, aren't you?" Derek instantly asked, his voice full of concern.

Emily didn't respond, still afraid to fully open up to anyone – even him. She simply looked down at the ground and obviously avoided his intense stare. But Derek wouldn't let her off that easy. He gently lifted her chin up with his hand to meet his gaze. "You know you aren't the only one who still has them."

Emily's eyes widened at this. Derek had told her about his own nightmares before but the way he always only paid attention to her own haunts, she thought they had finally gone away for him. She didn't know how to respond. As if sensing her uneasiness, Derek simply pulled her into a deep and tight hug and they instantly melted into one another – finding comfort in the other's mere presence.

Derek finally pulled away from Emily but tenderly reached for her hand and led her to bed. It had all happened before. They slept in her bed or his, barely touching but utterly aware of the other's presence – bringing a comfort they dismissed as a product of their situation as partners who got a second chance with life but always suppressing the hopeful thought it could be something more.

So when the nightmares visited that night, waking them in gasps of fear and tears – when Derek saw Emily on that cold warehouse floor being pulled out of his grasp by Doyle or when Emily saw Ian everywhere she turned, hurting Declan, Derek and the rest of her team but unable to help or even scream – they both took comfort in the steady heartbeat of the other beside them, knowing that now real life was better than any horror a dream could bring their way. And through the night, as Derek's arm snaked it's way around Emily, bringing her as close as he dared and as she snuggled deep into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent they reminded themselves that above all else, they had a second chance with each other and each secretly wondered where it would take them next.

_**I hope you liked this one! I will definitely upload more chapters dealing with how the nightmares started and how they both found out about the others. **_

_**PLEASE REVIEW and thanks for reading ;)**_


	28. Tipsy 7x16

_Hello my lovely readers! I hope you are all doing FABULOUSLY! So this one is a pretty long one just for fun based on the infamous "Girls Night Out" we all desperately wanted to see more of – but I threw in a little twist ;)_

_But first, I have to thank my reviewers who make me want to keep writing forever! So THNAK YOU _Daisyangel, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, Guests, _and ESPECIALLY_ AnnKa, jhplug, Nix1978 _and of course _criss128 _(my Demily BFF) - You all are seriously the BEST! _

_Also, for those asking about "Outfoxed" – I'm actually planning an entire fic about that one so I'm holding off for now…_

_Hope you enjoy – I'm off to write more if you do - so as always, please don't forget to leave a comment :)_

**Tipsy**

**[7x16 – A Family Affair]**

_"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself _

_(for God did not need to create it). It has no survival value;_

_rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."_

_-C.S. Lewis-_

JJ opened the door to her house with Garcia only inches behind her. Both had enormous grins on their faces as they saw their fellow FBI agent and friend, Emily Prentiss smiling back at them. They had waited a long time to have their girls' night out and tonight was finally their opportunity.

"E, you look stunning!" Garcia exclaimed as she took in the tight red dress Emily was wearing.

"Please," Emily cried with embarrassment. "_You_ look fabulous! How did Kevin ever let you out of the house? And JJ, didn't I tell you that dress would look perfect on you?" Emily said to her friends as they made their way into the house, all remembering the shopping trip they had gone on only a few weeks ago before dinner and a movie with Kevin, Will, Reid and Morgan.

"Thanks," JJ began to say, but was cut off by Henry jumping up off the couch by Reid and running towards the new arrival. Emily picked the little boy up and spun him around, both laughing.

"Hi, little man," Emily said as she still held a laughing Henry in her arms. "Are you excited you get to hang out with Uncle Spencer tonight?"

"Yes," the little boy grinned.

"Good," Emily said as she placed him back down to run in his godfather's direction. "Just don't beat him in chess. He gets _really_ upset when that happens," she winked at Reid.

"Alright Spence, we're off. We'll only be gone a couple of hours but let me know if you need anything!" JJ said as she kissed her little boy goodbye and patted her friend on the shoulder.

"We'll be fine. Have fun!" Reid called as the three girls made their way back outside.

They made their way into Emily's car as she had offered to drive for the night, knowing she needed to be careful about how much she drank since she was still on medication ever since the Doyle incident.

The trip to the bar was a quick one, passed with energetic conversation between the women about their excitement. They quickly took the car to the valet station and made their way inside.

Each of the girls ordered a drink. As they waited for the waiter to return they continued their discussion from the car. However, Emily was focused on her cell phone rather than the girl talk unfolding at the table.

_Have a fun night with the girls, Princess. But don't get too crazy – we've got a workout date tomorrow ;) _

Emily smiled as she read the text from her partner. Derek had teased the girls the entire flight home about their night of fun, pretending to mope because he wasn't invited. 

_Thanks, we'll try. I'll see you tomorrow - and how could I forget… I'm going to school you in hand-to-hand combat as always._

The conversation at the table continued between JJ and Garcia as Emily focused on her phone, smiling at her own conversation.

_Well then I'll take that as a challenge. Just don't cry when I prove you wrong._

_You've been warned. So what are you up to tonight? _

_"Well since my normal Friday night dinner and a movie buddy is ditching me for other friends," she smiled at his reference to the increasing amount of time they had been spending together. "I'm picking up a pizza for me, Reid and Henry. I told him I would come over and help him watch Henry for a bit. Someone's got to teach that kid about sports, and we both know it won't be him."_

_"Good, well we can watch a movie tomorrow after training. We still have to finish Harry Potter you know. I think we're on The Half-Blood Prince now."_

_"Oh, that's my favorite of the books – Well I'll let you get back to the girls – Don't let some bar-hopping player steal you away ;) And keep an eye on Miss Penelope for me. I'll see you tomorrow Princess!"_

_"Okay, well have fun with Reid! See you then :)"_

"We need to find Spencer a girlfriend," JJ responded to the on-going conversation between herself and Garcia. She turned to Emily, only to discover it was not herself that her friend was smiling at, but at the screen of her phone. "Em, Emily… Prentiss!" JJ finally said, startling Emily out of her trance. She looked up, wide-eyed at her friends with an apologetic smile on her face.

"Did you even hear what we said?" Garcia asked.

Emily's mind ran back through her thoughts trying to remember the last part of the dialogue she remembered, "Sure, I'd love to go to the mall next week if we don't have a case."

"No silly, we passed that subject a long time ago. We were talking about our doctor boy wonder's need for a girlfriend before you were so intently distracted by your phone," Garcia said, trying to peek at whom Emily was talking to.

"Oh sorry, it's nothing. I'm all yours now," she smiled, still embarrassed.

"Oh Pumpkin, you aren't getting off that easy. Who is it? Is it some tall, dark, handsome stranger you've failed to tell us about?"

"No, no," Emily assured, attempting to move Garcia on to another subject.

"Emily," JJ pushed, and Emily realized she wasn't going to win.

"It was just Morgan," Emily conceded. "We were just planning our training date for tomorrow."

"Your _date_?" JJ winked.

"No! It's not like that. Ever since I got back we train on the weekends, just to practice," Emily protested, reaching for her drink out of embarrassment.

"_Every_ weekend?" JJ asked. "I mean I knew you'd both been spending a lot of time together outside of work…"

"Oh a _lot _of time!" Garcia interjected. "Those two are _always _together. My chocolate thunder divine is with this pretty lady 24/7," she pointed at Prentiss. "It's like he can't get enough of her since she came back."

"Well are you surprised?" JJ exclaimed. "He was a different person when you were gone," she said to Emily. "I've never seen a man so broken," thinking of Morgan's reaction to Prentiss's supposed death.

"Oh I know, I was so worried about him," Penelope jumped in. "But ever since you came back… honey, it's like he's a new man. My Derek Morgan got his heart back; he's finally happy again, and that's because of you. We really are the luckiest family in the world," Garcia concluded, reaching out and squeezing each of her friends' hands.

At that moment, and much to Emily's delight, their waiter appeared carrying a tray full of interesting looking green drinks in shot glasses. "A round of the green fairy, ladies?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely yes!" Emily said enthusiastically, ready to end the uncomfortable discussion. "Just put them on my tab."

Their second round of drinks were soon delivered but the girls were barely able to take a sip when a very tipsy Garcia insisted they take the dance floor. So JJ, Emily and Penelope took the floor just like old times.

They danced for almost an hour, smiling and laughing. Though men were certainly interested, JJ and Garcia were already taken and. Besides, the two girls were sure that the only man they thought she should be interested in was a certain FBI agent. So they all simply danced together, enjoying the fact that they could again.

Time passed and the ladies were getting thirsty again so they moved back to their table. The waiter returned to them with another round of the green fairy drinks which Garcia instantly accepted.

"Oh I really shouldn't…" Emily began to protest, thinking of the lecture she was sure to get from her doctor if her medications reacted.

"We are _not _doing this without you!" Garcia said in Prentiss' direction.

"Go on Em, one won't hurt!" JJ joined in.

"Alright, alright," Emily conceded, reaching for the shot glass of green liquid as she pushed away the thoughts of the medicine. They all took the shots in their hands.

"A second round to second chances," Garcia winked at Emily as she raised her glass in cheers with the other female agents. Emily looked at her friends, overwhelmed with gratefulness at her second chance that had given her back the only family she had ever really known and loved – the only family who she had needed and who needed her in return – and she was the happiest person in the world.

The shots continued along with the dancing, the smiling, the laughing and the girl talk until more than a couple of hours had passed. The BAU agents had become sufficiently wasted – close to forgetting anything about the events of that night but finally remembering Reid and Henry. Emily, JJ, Garcia and even the valet all knew she was too far-gone to drive, so he called the group of beyond tipsy women a cab.

Derek and Spencer sat on the couch watching television. Though Reid was close to nodding off, he tried his best to stay awake, expecting the women home any minute because of the lateness of the hour.

Though he sat in front of the TV, Morgan's only focus was on looking at his phone. He knew it was getting later than the girls had planned to stay out, especially since the team had all agreed to go to Hotch's race early the next morning. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help but worry about the three women he was closer to than anyone else other than his real family – especially Emily. He worried about her constantly ever since she had returned – he was so afraid he might lose her again. He was tempted to text her again – maybe even call her, but he couldn't

So the moment he heard three singing voices from outdoors, his heart leapt with relief. "Well finally," Reid said, looking at his watch before standing.

The boys made their way to the front door, greeted by the three women swaying precariously as they walked arm in arm, singing the theme from _Titanic_ rather off-key as loudly as they could. "Shhhh…" Reid whispered, "What about Henry?" he reminded.

"Oh you calm down pretty boy," Garcia slurred as she leaned into Reid. "Have a little fun my little boy wonder." However, Reid did not look amused.

"Yeah Spence, learn to have a little fun!" JJ laughed, resting her arm over his shoulder to prevent herself from swaying any more.

Derek couldn't help but laugh at the women in front of him even if Reid was still pouting.

Before more words could be spoken, Kevin appeared. He explained that he had received drunken texts from his girlfriend, which had caused him to find the location of her cell phone so he could come pick her up so she wouldn't drive home in such a state.

So after hugs from the girls, a hug from Spencer, and a kiss on the cheek from her "Chocolate Adonis," Kevin guided a singing Penelope back to his car and he drove her home.

Spencer then stated he should go get some rest as well before the race the next morning, so he made his way to the door.

"Your turn, Princess," Derek nodded in Emily's direction. She was far too drunk to protest and after more goodbyes, allowed herself to be led outside by the arm by her partner. She began to sway on the way to his car, which prompted him to insist she lean on his shoulder until he opened the car door for her to allow her to get in.

Derek made his way to Emily's house – fully entertained by a drunk Emily who was singing and telling jokes from the moment they got into the car. But by the time they walked into her house, her giddiness had quickly been replaced by nausea, dizziness and a headache from too much to drink. And not even an hour since the girls had returned so did Derek's worry…

_**One hour later**_

Derek hated to see his partner like this. It may have been funny seeing his three BAU ladies walking into the house singing ridiculously; but now, Emily's silliness had worn off and illness had taken its place. She was miserable – and because of that, so was Derek.

He knew this had been her first real night drinking heavily after the Doyle incident, and just as he feared, the medications she was still on mixed with whatever it was Garcia had forced her to drink, had not worked out well. He heard Emily throw up in the toilet for the third time and made his way back over to her.

"Emily, what did you guys drink tonight?" Morgan asked as he kneeled over Emily's sick form, delicately resting a hand on her back while handing her a cold cloth with his other.

"I don't know…" she whimpered as her head fell in her hands, exhaustion completely overtaking her body.

"Come here," Derek whispered comfortingly. He reached down further, scooping her up off the floor and into his arms. Normally, she would have protested… well, normally before she had returned from the "dead" that is. But ever since she had come back, and really, ever since she had known him, Emily had grown closer to Derek than any other man she knew – because they trusted each other on the deepest emotional levels.

So, as he held her close against his chest, she lazily wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her dizzy head with her eyes closed against his shoulder. Derek rested his cheek against her head and walked them both from the bathroom into Emily's bedroom. He gently laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her body. Then, he laid down beside her, propping his head up on his hand so he could face her. "You need to get some sleep," he whispered.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to," she said.

He didn't answer her at first; he merely looked at her with a look that said it all. Of course he wasn't leaving – what if she got sick again? But more importantly, hadn't this been their arrangement for so many nights before? They knew exactly where they each wanted to be – right there with each other – to bring comfort when the nightmares came. But now, it was simply to bring comfort. Yet, they were still too stubborn to be honest with each other, and themselves. "But I do want to," he breathed softly, earning a tired smile to fall across her face.

"Thank you," she said, sleep finally overtaking her form.

"Always," came the now standard response from his lips as he put his head down, never taking his eyes off of her.

As the sun rose over the city early the next morning, Morgan dragged himself out of the bed even though it was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. However, he knew they had to support Hotch. So he walked around to Emily's side of the bed. He almost didn't wake her because she looked so peaceful, and he knew she desperately needed sleep. Nevertheless, he leaned down and gently ran a hand along her arm as he softly said her name.

Eventually she opened her eyes, looking up at him with a glare as she moaned, "Five more minutes."

"Sorry Em, but we've got to go. I'll make you coffee though – decaf of course. I'm pretty sure you're going to need it after last night," he told her as she precariously made her way out of the bed, trying to gain control of her wavering balance.

"I swear I might never drink again… Well, anytime soon that is…" earning a chuckle from Morgan. "I used to have such a higher tolerance. I'm losing my touch. Ever since I had to stay in the hospital and be on so much medication, it hasn't been the same."

"I knew this would happen," Derek said. "I was worried about you last night – all of you."

"I'm sorry," Emily said sincerely as she rubbed her temples to rid her head of the pounding within. "I should have listened to you. I don't think I've _ever _felt this badly. Thank you for staying with me even though I don't remember much."

"What are partners for right?" he winked and she smiled at the words he had spoken once before and they both remembered a case they had in Vegas years before. It was another experience like this one, when he had taken a very drunk Emily up to her hotel room after she had one too many while they were in the casino together. He had made sure she got to bed but not before she thanked him, to which "But I _will _find out what you girls drank – and I will make sure none of you _ever _drink it again."

"That's fine by me," she moaned.

"Well you get ready. I'll get the coffee," Derek smiled and made his way to the kitchen.

Later that morning, they went to Hotch's race and Derek put an official ban on "The Green Fairy" for all members of the BAU. After they all had breakfast together, Derek took a still very hung-over Emily to get her car.

"Don't forget about our workout date," Derek called out to her. "And don't think I'll go easy on you this time!"

"I think _you _are the one who should be worried, remember," Emily said as she got into her car.

That afternoon, Derek knocked on Emily's apartment door, expecting to hear his partners footsteps hurry to the door as she always did when they had plans. But after the second knock, he began to worry about her since he heard no movements inside.

"Emily?" he called out, but still received no answer. So he quickly pulled out the spare key she had given him in case of an emergency... but he really just used it for their movie or dinner nights, early morning workout dates, having to fix a leaky faucet but most frequently, whenever they needed to see each other in the dead of night because Doyle had returned to their dreams.

He opened the door and made his way inside. He passed the kitchen but still hadn't found her. He almost went to the bedroom but stopped in his tracks when he looked into the living room and saw Emily curled up on the couch. She was in her typical training clothes, but only one sneaker was on her foot while the other had seemingly fallen on the floor when Emily had fallen asleep.

Derek made his way over to her, smiling down at her as he put his workout bag down on the ground. He reached for the blanket that rested on the side of the couch and laid it across Emily's sleeping form. Though he tried not to wake her she sensed his presence and opened her eyes in a startled manner. "Morgan! Oh no… our training session. I just sat down for a minute to rest," she exclaimed out loud as she popped up off the couch. "I can't believe I fell asleep! I can be ready in 2 minutes!"

"Whoa, whoa," Derek stopped her before she ran off. "It's okay. Look, I've got a better idea," he said as he reached down into his bag and pulled out a Harry Potter DVD. "I don't really want to work out anyway. What do you say to this instead?" he asked with a wink.

"I think you just might be the best training partner ever," Emily smiled. And so the rest of their night was spent together and neither one could be happier.

**Hope you enjoyed this little bit of fluff! Please review & I'll write faster :)**


	29. Second Chances 7x18

_Hello my lovely readers! I hope you are all doing WONDERFULLY! Here's a little addition to "The Company" – hope you enjoy!_

_But first, I have to thank my beyond AMAZING reviewers! So THNAK YOU _Daisyangel, , DreamerChild88, Sarah, Lenika08, erica1021, jessicalon7, zackgibra, ayanamonique, BulletStrong,animallvr4eva, vampiresrockroza, Megz17, rogue4ever, Guests, _and ESPECIALLY_ AnnKa, jhplug, Nix1978 _and of course _criss128 _(my Demily BFF) - You all are seriously the BEST! _

_Sorry it took so long! I'll try to give you two updates this week since we won't get our weekly Demily fix with the premiere :(_

_Hope you enjoy – I'm off to write more if you do - so as always, please don't forget to leave a comment :)_

**Second Chances**

**[7x18 – The Company]**

"_Well, it seems to me that the best relationships - the ones that last - are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is... _

_suddenly, the only person you can ever imagine yourself with."_

_-__ Gillian Anderson__ - _

Emily had just finished filing her case files in her desk when she made her way back to Derek's office. Tonight they had continued their tradition of working late together while ordering dinner in. And in keeping with tradition, Derek had fallen asleep on the couch while working. Emily had finished the few remaining files and taking her own back to her desk was the last step she had to make before they could go back to their homes.

She walked back into Derek's office with the intention of waking him up but was startled to see him standing wide-eyed before her, phone in his hands. Emily saw the tears in his eyes, heart instantly plummeting at the pain in his eyes. "Morgan?" she began, walking towards him, but he still stared at her with a stunned look on his face. "Derek, what is it? What's wrong?"

"It's my sister," he choked out. "She was in a bad car accident and she's in the hospital."

"Oh Derek, I'm so sorry," Emily began as she reached up to rub his arm gently.

"I need to go to Chicago," he said.

"Of course," Emily nodded. "Come on, I'll drive you to the airport."

"Thanks," Derek replied.

"Always," Emily responded simply with the word that had come to define their relationship.

After stopping by his house to get his things, she drove Derek to the airport through the stormy city. The ride was quiet from Derek's hovering worry. So Emily reached over and squeezed her best friend's hand. "She's going to be alright," she whispered.

"That's what they told me about you…" Derek instantly countered as he looked over at her; but he instantly regretted the words that came out of his mouth when he saw the hurt look on her face. "Oh Em… I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"No, you're right," Emily said as the guilt crept in. "And _I'm _sorry. I wish every day that I could go back to that time and tell you the truth. But you know… that was partially the truth…"

"What do you mean?" he asked with confusion.

"When they told you that I would be alright. It took too long for you to find out but it was true. I wasall right _because _of you – you told me to hold on and you're the reason I'm alive today. So that's how I know your sister will be okay too. Because she has you – just like I had you," Emily said as she smiled over at Derek and he returned her smile as he squeezed her hand tighter.

"Thank you…And I promise, you'll always have me," he whispered.

In just a few short minutes they were inside of the airport booking Derek a red-eye flight that was leaving in half an hour. Emily walked with him as far as security would let her. At the gate, Morgan turned to her and began to speak, "Thank you again Em. I don't know what I would do without you. I've tried that once before, and I know I don't ever want to do it again."

Emily's eyes filled with tears despite every effort she made to keep it together. "I promise you won't ever have to," she managed to get out. "You should get going," she nodded towards the security line. "You don't want to miss your flight."

"Okay. Hopefully I'll be back soon," he said.

"Don't worry. Take all the time you need. I'm sure Hotch will understand. Just take care of your sister and make sure she gets well. And just text me when you land okay? The weather's not too great out there," she added, hoping not to show her worry over the stormy weather too much.

"I will," he responded, standing awkwardly in front of her, wanting desperately – needing desperately – to hug her and find the comfort he always did when they were together. But she was one step ahead of him.

Emily leaned in and wrapped her arms around his body. He exhaled and seemed to melt into her as his arms enfolded her and he pulled her against his chest. It was a short hug – a hug between friends. Even though deep down, they each longed for so much more. But it was time for Derek to leave. "Bye," she said as she stepped out of the hug.

"Bye Princess," Derek smiled with thanks and made his way to the gate. But just before he walked out of view, he turned to wave goodbye once more to the woman he knew would always be there for him. The woman he had finally realized was the one person on earth he never wanted to live without. It might have taken him a while to fully understand it – and perhaps even longer to finally act on it. But Derek Morgan had finally begun to recognize just how deep his feelings for Emily Prentiss really were.

Morgan's flight landed with ease and he instantly made his way to the hospital. But he didn't forget to text Emily the moment he had landed safely. Emily smiled at the text she had waited up all night for and so she finally made her way to bed as her nerves were finally able to subside.

Early the next morning, Derek called Emily to tell her the truth about the situation – to which she comforted him again by telling him he did what he thought was best and he should call Hotch so the team could help him find the truth. So he did and the team flew out and they all finally put the case to rest.

The entire team flew back together after a wonderful visit with the Morgan family. The landed late that night but still all went to their offices before heading home for a much needed few days off. Emily was Derek's ride home but she knew that Garcia would never forgive him if she didn't get a chance to see him after all he had been through. Emily had been so busy on the case, she was thankful for the friendship her two friends had – especially when she was gone. She knew Garcia would take care of her partner when she couldn't. Emily told Derek she was going to work on case files so he should take as much time with Garcia as he needed.

As much as Derek loved spending time with his "Baby Girl," he didn't stay with her too long – only long enough to drink the coffee she had made him – because honestly, he realized that at that moment, the only person he really wanted to spend time with was waiting for him at her desk.

They walked through the parking deck towards the car. However, just as they got to their destination, Derek stopped and turned to Emily. She looked into his watering eyes and suddenly; he stepped in, engulfing her completely in his arms.

She hadn't been expecting it, but she didn't mind. She wrapped her arms around him, remembering the moment they saw each other for the first time after that night – the moment they both felt like they could breathe again after the most miserable seven months of their lives. Prentiss felt Morgan relax against her as he just exhaled, releasing what seemed to be the weight of the world after the very difficult and personal case. Though even as he exhaled, his arms continued to pull her closer.

After several minutes, the partners pulled away but not before Emily noticed the tears in Derek's eyes. "Hey," she whispered softly, "What is it?"

"It's just…" he began, his voice cracking with emotion. "I just realized how lucky I am. I felt like my life ended when I thought yours did. And then we lost Cindy... I couldn't do anything to keep the people I cared about safe. I prayed every day for a second chance, or at least a chance to make my family proud through my job, and to make you proud by protecting Declan even if I couldn't save you. But then I got the greatest gift I ever could," he smiled though still completely overcome. "I got you back. And I couldn't have asked for anything more," he choked out. "But then we got Cindy back too, and my family is complete again – both of them" he added, overcome with emotion. "I really am the luckiest man in the world."

"No, we're just lucky to have you to protect us all." Emily smiled as she leaned in to hug him once more. "Come on, I know you're exhausted. I'll cook you dinner," she offered. "But only if you are up to it. I'm sure you just want to be alone right now though…" she started to ramble. "I'm sure your tired and…"

"Hey Hey, slow down Princess. Why would I _ever _turn down dinner with you?" he winked. "But come on… You? Cook?" Derek laughed.

"Hey now…" Emily countered with a giggle. "Well… maybe my cooking could use a little work."

"A little…" Derek smiled.

"Okay, so maybe I can _buy _you dinner." Emily conceded. "Deal?"

"Deal." Derek smiled.

So they picked up their favorite Chinese food and made their way to Derek's house. They made themselves at home. They had dinner and a movie in front of the TV. As they sat there together and stole glances at their partner, they both realized they couldn't think of anywhere else they would rather be.

When the movie was over, Emily offered to drive home but Derek wouldn't hear of it. He insisted she shouldn't drive home so late at night but it was really just because he wanted her there. So though they didn't start off there, they ended up in the same bed, simply protecting each other from the nightmares, just like they always did.

Anyone who saw them would think they were a couple. But of course they would both deny it, calling it simply time spent between best friends. Even though deep down, they each wished the assumption were true. The tension and the connection had been building for years however they continued to put it off. But the time was coming when they would both finally have to face the feelings between them and nothing would ever be the same…


	30. Neck Rub 7x21

_Hello all! I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who is reading and reviewing. Words cannot express how deeply thankful I am for your kind words that make me smile for hours and hours. So, Lenika08, Nix1978, jhplug, ayanamonique, rogue4ever, Sarah, insomniaaa, and all the guests – you are all positively wonderful and I thank you for taking your time to read and review this story._

_So this is a little sneak peak into the nightmares I have been touching on – but with a bit of a twist. I promise to expand on Emily's nightmares in the next chapters but this popped into my head after recently watching this episode and I hope it creates a nice segue into the finale._

_PLEASE read and review and I promise I will write faster!_

_So I hope you enjoy!_

**Neck Rub**

**[7x21 – "Divining Rod"]**

"Be still and know that I'm with you

Be still and know that I am here

Be still and know that I'm with you

Be still, be still, and know

When darkness comes upon you

And covers you with fear and shame

Be still and know that I'm with you

And I will say your name"

- _Be Still_, The Fray -

The whole team had gone out for drinks to celebrate Emily's new house after they had landed. But no one could stay long because everyone already had weekend plans – something they very rarely got to do with their job: Garcia and Kevin had tickets to see a show, JJ wanted to get home to Will and Henry before his bedtime, Hotch had a date with Beth, Rossi _said_ he had a meeting with his book publisher (which was actually a secret rendezvous with Strauss), and Reid was going to watch a Dr. Who marathon with fellow nerd Agent Ashley Seaver. So Derek and Emily decided they could also make plans of their own… they just happened to make them together. The two friends decided relax after the rather difficult last case and watch a movie at Derek's place while ordering in dinner.

"My neck still hurts…"

"You mean from the car chase that was almost a car accident?" Emily asked with a subtle laugh as she followed Derek into his living room.

"But that _wasn't_ a crash because of my expert driving skills…" Derek said as he pointed his finger in her direction with a wink.

"Something like that," Emily laughed as she sat down in her usual spot on the couch.

"But yeah… I really think I pulled something when the car spun around." Derek said as he reached his hand up to rub his neck.

"Come here." Emily ordered from the couch as she pointed to the floor in front of her.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Well if I remember correctly, a while ago, we made a deal that I was to train with you, get you your morning coffee and give you a neck rub everyday. Well as usual, we're training this weekend, I got you your coffee this morning, so now it looks like a neck massage is in order mister."

"Now _that_ I am not going to argue with." Derek replied with an excited grin as he made his way to sit on the floor with his back against the couch in between Emily's legs, grimacing at the soreness in his neck. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began massaging out the tension and the pain. "I knew you always wanted an excuse to get your hands on me," Derek joked.

"Oh you wish…" Emily laughed as she continued massaging his shoulders, both of them ignoring the fact that their jokes were a bit too close to the truth than they cared to admit.

"You know this is a nice change." Derek commented.

"What is?" Emily responded, unsure of what he meant.

"Me being injured instead of you." Derek laughed.

"Yes, well let's not make a habit of it, all right? I'd rather keep us safe and in one piece if you don't mind. I think between the two of us, we've had enough injuries to last us a lifetime so I don't want to add anymore to that list."

"You and me both, Princess." Derek said and Emily continued to work her skills on releasing the tension from Derek's injuries. They sat that way for a long while, Emily focused on her task at hand and Derek enjoying the skilled and delicate hands massaging his shoulders.

"Thank you, by the way." Emily finally said as she worked.

"For what?"

"For helping me find the house. I really do think I'm going to love it – once my nerves finally settle that is. And I wouldn't have made the offer if not for you. I wouldn't have even _found_ it without you. So… thank you."

"Hey…" Derek said softly, as he turned to face her. "I know it's scary but there is nothing to be nervous about. Ever since you've been back you've said you wanted your own place instead of your old apartment. This is your chance! It's part of your fresh start." Emily looked down, still unsure of her decision. Derek leaned in closer, looking into her eyes and she finally looked back at him. So he continued softly, "But Emily, if you're not ready, if you want to wait – you know you don't have to do anything you don't want to. But if this _is_ something you really want then go for it! The first time I bought one of my properties I was scared to death. But it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Em, I helped you find this place. Don't think you're doing this alone. I'll be there every step of the way if you'll let me. We'll do the inspection together. I'll make sure everything is just right. I'll fix anything you need me to. It will be perfect, trust me."

Although Emily's doubts still floated about in her mind, she pushed them aside with a smile because more than anything else, she _did_ trust Derek – with her life. "Thank you… really. And I would love your help – I mean I just bought a house! I have absolutely _no _idea what I'm doing. So you got me into this buddy – you can't back out now!" Emily said as she laughed. "You're sticking it out with me until the end."

"Always," Derek winked.

Emily simply smiled at his response with use of the word that had become one of the foundations of their close relationship. The butterflies in her stomach about the house had finally subsided because she knew she had Derek Morgan to count on – always. But some butterflies still remained for a very different reason as she looked into Derek's eyes. But she pushed those away as well, trying not to let her mind wander to fantasies the FBI would not allow, and regained control of herself. Emily placed her hand on Derek's shoulder, "How is your neck feeling?"

"It still feels a little sore but honestly, it's ten times better now that you've worked your magic on it. Really, I'm good. So let's start that movie! You're going to love it!"

So they called in their dinner and started the movie Derek had raved about ever since Emily could remember but that she had never watched. And he was right: she did love it. But she loved spending time with him even more – and he felt exactly the same way.

The movie rolled its final credits very late into the night. But Emily and Derek had plans to go to the FBI gym early the next morning and train as usual. "It's getting late…" Emily began. "I should go get some rest for tomorrow."

"You know you can stay. It will be better than driving across the city on a Friday night. You have your go-bag with you anyway," Derek commented, hoping she would stay.

And of course that was all Emily needed to hear. Ever since she had come back, they had spent as much time as they could together and had become comfortable with each other's constant presence - sometimes even longing for it. They told themselves it was because their friendship had grown stronger since the Doyle incident and they were making up for the lost time, but they wouldn't admit that their relationship had grown to a whole new level.

"Okay," she began. "I'll take the guest room." Though they were used to sleeping with one another since she came back, it was only when the nightmares came and memories of the past returned. Emily chose to take the guest room not merely because of the FBI rules, but to guard herself from the deep feelings she was realizing she had for Derek.

Lately, when she was alone and would wake up from nightmares of Doyle or even simply when she awoke in the morning for work, she found herself missing the special nights when Derek was there to comfort her. She knew she had to protect herself before she let her feelings change their relationship – however she was slowly breaking down her guarded walls and getting closer to giving in to her emotions.

So Derek and Emily said goodnight and made their way to bed. Emily fell asleep faster than usual because just having Derek in the room next door; she felt safer and happier than when she was alone. And tonight, her nightmares weren't as terrible as they usually were and she surprisingly didn't wake up in terror. However, someone else was not so lucky.

It was close to three in the morning, the house was dead silent but Emily was still tossing and turning. She stirred as the sound of a door and the light from the hallway began to shine in her room. She opened her eyes and as she adjusted to her surroundings, she noticed a shirtless Derek Morgan standing near the doorway. "Derek?" she asked softly as she propped herself up in the bed. "What's wrong?"

"He was there," Derek began, looking a bit embarrassed. "I just had to see you. To make sure… We were back in that warehouse." He said as his voice cracked because he was trying to hold back tears as he shuffled towards her. "I just had to make sure I really got you back Em. They always feel so real."

"Hey… it's okay," Emily whispered as she reached out for his hand. "I'm right here… and I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"Thank you… I'm sorry if I startled you, it's just that it felt so real…"

"No," Emily cut him off. "It's okay. Really. As much as you've helped me with my own, I owe it to you. You don't always have to be the tough one Derek." Emily whispered and looked up into his tearful eyes with sincerity. "Come here…" She said as she pulled back the covers and tugged on his hand that she was still holding.

Derek climbed into the bed beside her and they snuggled close.

"Emily?" Derek questioned, still fearful he was in his nightmare and she might evaporate any moment.

"Everthing's okay Derek. It's me. I'm here… always." Emily whispered with a smile. And Derek smiled back at her in return, finding comfort in the truth of her words – of their special word; and finally pushing his nightmare out of his mind.

She relished in the warmth of his body as she rested her hand on top of Derek's perfectly sculpted chest, her delicate touch reassuring him she really was alive and in his arms – just the way she was the day she returned. Beneath her hand, Emily noticed Derek's rapid heartbeat go back to a normal rhythm once he had her in his arms and his nightmare now merely seemed like a bad memory far in the past.

They both fell into a deep sleep, feeling safe, content and rather tempted to break FBI regulations as they found comfort in one another's arms, reminding them of their gratefulness in the miracle that was the second chance they had received.


	31. The Last Dance

Yes, I deserve to be drawn and quartered for how long it took me to get this updated. So first of all, I am so sorry. Life has that annoying tendency to get in the way of the things you love. But finally, here it is.

Secondly, a huge thank you to everyone who has read and review this story. It is still amazing to me how incredible and supportive you have all been and I am sincerely grateful.

A massive thank you to AnnKa, jhplug, criss128 and Nix 1978 who always have such kind words and advice for me. This story would not be what it is without you.

Of course, with greatest sympathy, I must admit that Criminal Minds is not mine. Though, I wish it was.

Now as promised, this is the finale chapter. I will follow it up with an epilogue hopefully soon. Please let me know what you think! Thank you again & I hope you enjoy!

(Oh and obviously, I love quotes too much to choose just one.)

* * *

**The Last Dance**

**[7x23/24 – Hit & Run, plus a few more]**

_"**I don't want to hide. I want to slow dance with you again. I want to dance with you forever."**_

_**-Sarah Black, ****Border Roads-**_

_**"Love is a lot like dancing; you just surrender to the music."**_

_**-Pierce Brosnan-**_

_"**Don't give your heart to anyone,**_

_**Don't forget who's taking you home**_

_**And in whose arms you're going to be**_

_**So darling save the last dance for me."**_

_**-Michael Buble, ****Save the Last Dance For Me****-**_

Emily was lost in his arms as they swayed to the beat as one. Derek held her so tightly that if he squeezed any tighter her ribs might break, but he couldn't bear to let her go. Their faces were pressed together, eyes closed as they relished in the feel of the other, not noticing the way every member of the team would sneak their eyes over to them – remembering all they had been through, knowing for the past six years what these two had failed to, if not see, act upon. They were simply lost in each other, holding hands with a death-like grip against his chest. She felt his heartbeat – the same beat that calmed her fears so many nights when Doyle came back for her in her dreams.

They were holding one another so close, so tightly it was if they thought they might lose the other in that very moment. A love song played in the background and it was the last song of the night. In the spirit of the atmosphere of a wedding, it was a romantic song, the _most_ romantic, one only meant for the couples on the dance floor. And finally, of all her dances that night, this dance felt just right… this is where she felt safe, this is where she felt loved, this is where she felt home.

But she wasn't surprised; it was always this way, ever since she had returned, and when she considered it, long before she'd left. She had worked tirelessly to readjust back into her life at the BAU but she felt as lost as when she was alone in Paris. Her friends had forgiven her and they were close, if not closer than they had been before. But her experience had changed her. Yet no matter when or where she was, when she was with Derek, she felt home. And as she felt his comfort, she remembered the first time her heart had ever felt this way.

"_Hey," he stopped her with a hand on her arm as they walked towards their cars after the jet landed. "So how's the book Princess?" _

"_Amazing! You were right, chapter three is definitely where the excitement starts."_

"_Wait, can I get a recording of that?" he asked.  
_

"_What?"_

"_Of you telling me I was right," he grinned mischievously. _

"_In your dreams buddy. It's too rare of an occasion for that," she winked as she joked along. _

"_Ouch," he mimicked hurt. "Seriously though, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I was going to ask you actually," he paused, looking down awkwardly. Suddenly he felt like he was in high school again, asking a girl to the prom and Reid's words to him about he and Emily echoed in his mind. "I have the movie. Of "Mother Night" that is. Since we talked about it, I didn't know if you'd want to watch it one day?"_

"_Absolutely! I've never seen it actually. I always wanted to though." _

"_Good. I know we were going to practice takedowns tomorrow, if it isn't too much…" he began but she cut him off. _

"_Not at all! I'd love it! We can go to the practice range then make dinner and do the movie at my place. Does that work?"_

"_That's perfect," he smiled. "I'll pick you up at 1:00 tomorrow. Are you sure that's okay?"_

"_I couldn't think of anything I'd like better," she grinned up at him. _

_And so the tradition began. Derek picked her up and they practiced their takedown training. He was amazed a just how close of a match she was for him, their victories on the mat were always even. When she joined the team, he was the one who was supposed to help train her, but he found more and more everyday that it was certainly the other way around. _

_It was later that night when they started cooking, together, that the truth of Emily's cooking abilities was discovered. But Derek took the lead with a smile, and it was he who taught her. _

_They sat down to watch the movie together. Emily enjoyed it. What she saw of it of course, because that night, they couldn't stop talking. They felt so at ease as they told each other practically everything about their lives but over the course of six years, they would still never run out of things to discuss, because in reality, it wasn't what they were talking about but whom they were talking about it with. _

_It wasn't until the early morning hours that the partners realized how late it really was and they still regretted that the night had to come to an end. But it wasn't the end. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, partnership and eventually something more. _

_Tonight they were partners learning more about each other; tonight they were friends building the foundations of their connection; but soon… very soon… they would begin to realize just how much they meant to one another as their relationship endured more than any two human being should have to – but through all of it – they would become closer than ever before._

But it hadn't ended there, she thought as she swayed in sync with him. If anything, it had only grown with time. And that is what scared her. It was finally, it was too big for either of them to ignore.

_He'd snuck his eyes over to her in the car only the morning before on the way to meet the house inspector. She was trying to hide it, but he knew better. She was nervous, pretty close to being scared to death if not for all she had gone through. So he just reached over, took hold of her hand, and intertwined his fingers between her shaking ones. Suddenly, she felt safe again. Her nerves disappeared and she knew that no matter what, they had each other to lean on. As friends of course, she reminded herself. But it was when the house inspector addressed them as a couple that the nervous feelings returned once again. _

But she pushed the thoughts from her mind, as hard as it was, and focused on where she was in that moment. She focused on how even though she was nervous and scared about the decision she was making, with Derek, somehow it all disappeared.

However, she wasn't the only one reminiscing on the past. So was Derek, but as he held her, he was also hoping for the future.

_He thought of how she was the only one who could talk any sense into him after he had gone face to face with the Prince of Darkness to save Ellie. She had driven him home as he sulked silently, but she didn't give up on him. She cooked him dinner that night. Insisted she help change his bandages because she knew he wouldn't. And she'd stayed up all night with him as he finally opened up to her. He told her about his father's death and how he did his job everyday to make his father proud. But every night he still had a moment of fear just before falling asleep in case the memory of his father's death plagued his dreams. He shed his tears as she listened. She cared, and that was his cure. _

_And it was those moments he thought of, those moments he cried over, when she was gone. He would go to her grave and lean against her tombstone, unaware of the truth but only his pain in losing his partner and his friend. He would sit for hours, the way they used to, and just talk. He would tell her about the team, about their cases, about Declan, and sometimes he would read a Vonnegut book. It wasn't healthy he knew, but it's what he used to do with his father's grave. It's what he still did when he went home to Chicago. And for him, it was a way to keep the people he loved with him. _

_And he remembered with a smile how his smile returned and how his heart began beating again when she walked through that door and taken his breath away. He couldn't believe it at first. His heart wanted to but he was scared of another disappointment. He'd had dreams like this more times than he wanted to admit. But when she put her arms around him, and when he wrapped his arms around her… when he'd felt her again, he knew no dream could ever feel this real, feel this amazing, and fill him with so much warmth. _

But then he remembered how only a day earlier and howhe thought he might have to face it all over again. Face what he knew his heart could never handle again.

_The pain in his body coursed through him and the ringing in his ears persisted but the worry in his heart was the only thing he noticed in that moment. He looked around frantically, his eyes setting on every team member but the one he knew he was really looking for._

_His heart felt as if it could do more damage than what the explosion had just done to the building before him with the pain he felt that he might lose her again. He knew he had to find her. JJ pulled him out of his terror as she went running to find Will, causing Derek to do the same… and just like JJ he was running after the person he loved._

_Every time he called for her and he heard no answer, more pain filled his heart. It was after his last desperate cry that he heard what felt like heaven in his ears – her voice. It was soft, it was strained, but above all, it was her. And that was all that mattered right then._

_He found her quickly, JJ had already made it to her but he knelt down beside her, hearing and seeing she was all right. They didn't have time to waste though. But before he got up to do his job, his hand found hers on the cold floor of the basement. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back, reassuring him, as she knew exactly the memories that would undoubtedly be running through his head. JJ had noticed, as she always did, but she was too focused on Will to bring it up to Emily. But she knew, she'd known for a while. She just wanted Derek and Emily to come to the realization too._

_The day was too eventful for any meaningful words. But that night was a different story._

_They waved goodbye to the rest of the team before walking side by side towards Derek's car. The two agents had left directly after the home inspection and had ridden together. _

_He hugged her tighter than he ever had before, emotions welling deep inside him as he thought of how he had almost lost her again, not once, but twice in just one day. _

"_Hey, what's this for?" she asked with a grin. But her smile faded as she pulled back and saw his tear-filled face. "Derek…" she whispered, unsure of his sudden change of demeanor. "What is it?"_

"_I'm sorry Em," he shook his head, trying to blink back the tears. "It's just… I almost lost you again today. _Twice_."_

"_But I'm okay," she reassure him. "It's over now."_

"_This time," he spoke instantly. "I just don't think I could handle that again. Once was more than enough the first time around." The memory of Doyle flashed painfully through their minds. "And then when that bank exploded…" he took a deep breath, trying to fight the pain accosting his heart with the memory. "You're the first person I looked for. When I couldn't find you, I felt like I couldn't breathe. Emily I wasn't sure I could survive if I had found you hurt again… or worse. You almost died twice today, and I… I just… I just had to make sure I hadn't lost you again."_

_Emily looked at him for only a second, full of sympathy and maybe something else, before she pulled him back into the hug to show him that he had not lost her again… and he never would. She knew that now was not the time to tell him about the possible new job. He would be happy for her to be out of danger but that price would come at being away from the team, away from him. "You haven't lost me," she whispered. "Remember, you're the one who found me that night. You're the reason I'm here at all. And I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, always," she choked out, trying to forget the job offer across the ocean she'd received just that morning._

_He could only smile as the tears subsided at their word. "Come on, Princess. Those unsubs may have ruined most of our plans for today but I am _still _treating you to dinner and a movie as promised. That is, if you're up for it."_

"_I couldn't think of anything I'd like better," she grinned up at him, echoing her words from a time long ago. _

And there they were again. Dancing with each other the way they figuratively had for so many years… dancing around their true feelings but closer with each other than with anyone else. And now, closer than ever before.

"I can't lose you again Em," he suddenly whispered in her ear, bring them both back to the present, as she felt the tears he shed against her face. His words echoed her thoughts exactly and her tears threatened to give way then. She didn't speak but only looked deep into his eyes for a moment and moved deeper into his arms; her head finding a resting place closer into the crook of his neck and his arms pulled her into him so tightly it was as if he was afraid she would disappear right then and there.

The song played its final beats in the distance but she didn't want to let him go, she couldn't – not again. The couples on the dance floor slowly began to exit one by one, but Morgan and Prentiss remained swaying in the middle.

Finally though, they both pulled away when Strauss announced part of her wedding gift, they all had the day off the next day. After all they had been through they certainly deserved it. But not even that could take the looming worry out of Derek and Emily's minds.

They were still standing side-by-side, hands brushing against one another, sending shockwaves through them both. Derek reached for Emily's hand with fervency and gently led her to the secluded side of the fountain in the garden.

"Derek… What…" she began to ask, but he cut her off.

"Emily, you can't leave. You know I can't lose you again. I don't think I'd survive this time." Derek began, his eyes wet with tears.

"Derek…" she started, hoping to save this conversation for later, but his pleading, tearful eyes broke her already aching and conflicted heart. "I don't want to leave you," Emily said sincerely as she reached her hand up to his face. "I don't want to leave any of you. I want to leave the _BAU_, but not you."

"But moving to another continent? What are you thinking!?"

"I don't even know if I'll take the job in London. It was just one offer and I only got it yesterday! It just showed me that I have other opportunities out there to do something that doesn't make me think of the job I had when I was with Doyle – that was the worst time in my life other than my seven months alone in Paris. I just can't shake the fear of buying this house. All my life I've moved around for others and now I've finally got to find what _I_ want for a change. But am I being selfish?" Emily asked, frustrated with herself for her nervousness.

"You are never going to get rid of this feeling Em. You're going to just keep on looking but until you realize what it is you're missing… you'll never be happy until you do. You don't want a new job or a new house… You want…" he paused, wanting her to come to her own conclusion to prove to himself he wasn't the only one who felt this way. Their relationship had pushed passed professional long ago, and he wasn't willing to give it up without at least attempting to tell her what he'd felt for so long. "Emily, when are you the most happy?"

"What?"

"When do you forget about Doyle? When do you feel like you can really just be yourself? Emily, when do you feel at home?"

She thought a moment as she took a long pause and looked down, but she already knew the answer. She could only forget Doyle when she was with him. She could tell him anything, she trusted Morgan with everything. He was the best man she knew. And that's when she finally admitted to herself that she loved him.

Somehow, somewhere deep inside she already knew. In reality, she'd known it all along. Emily couldn't be sure exactly when it had grown to that or when she had finally realized it. Was it a specific moment?

Was it as early was when he was home in Chicago and the team had fought to get him back and she realized she wasn't sure she could work on the team without him, her new partner?

Was it when he'd made her smile over their shared love of Kurt Vonnegut?

Was it when Cyrus was beating her and the only face she prayed she would be able to see again was Derek's?

Was it when he would rush to protect her and stay with her whenever she was hurt?

Was it when Foyet had almost killed him and she had realized just how empty her life would have been if he hadn't been spared?

Was it in the quiet moments they shared on the jet after a hard case, sitting side by side as their arms brushed up against each other? Or in those moments when she would catch herself watching him sleep?

Was it when she saw him holding Henry? What was that fluttering feeling inside her as he smiled at her with the little blue bundle in his arms?

Was it when they fell asleep together after dinner and a movie at her place or his and she would wake up and for only a second dream of a normal life? A life not just near him but _with _him? Loved and in his arms?

Was it in the nights they would stay up late, working but mostly laughing, as they finished case files in his office together?

Was it when he looked deep into her eyes and uttered the single word "always" and gave her the assurance and feeling of love that no one else could?

Was it when he held her and gave her a reason to live after Doyle had tried to end her life forever?

Was it when her heart had finally started beating again as he held her in his arms after seeing her alive for the first time in seven months?

Was it as he held her while she cried when Doyle haunted her nightmares and he'd rocked her to sleep?

Or perhaps it was a culmination of all of those moments, she reasoned. There were certainly more than enough to justify those feelings. But it was only when she thought she might never see him again that all of those moments kept her heart beating and her lungs breathing so she might experience just a few more. It was then she realized that waking up every morning excited to go to work was all because of him. Her comfort came from knowing that no matter how big her problem was that he was always there to help her through it. She found it in the way he protected her above himself, the way he cared for her so deeply… the way he was _always _there for her.

But the fear of opening her heart along with her constant cycle of putting others above herself, even at the expense of her own feelings and happiness, had kept her need for him bottled up and hidden away in the depths of her heart for years.

So she told herself that he deserved more that she had to offer; he had dealt with enough of her baggage and he didn't deserve to deal with any more. So she did what she did best: she reverted back into her shell, "I don't know…" she began. "I've never felt home _anywhere_. Derek coming to the BAU was to be near Declan, to protect him – to try to forget Doyle. Now he's safe and Doyle's gone… I've always had a purpose in my life – a reason I did what I did. But now, Derek I don't know what to do. I don't know why I'm here anymore."

"So do it. Quit the BAU. You know we will all support you Em. I will be with you every step of the way. But don't you dare run away again. I know you're scared but that isn't the answer. You're not being selfish - you're looking for happiness. I get that. But we are your family Em, let us in. Don't make the same mistake twice. I know what you want. I told you, it's not a new job or a new house or new friends… Emily you've always been the one to love, the one to take care of others but now it's you turn. Emily you need someone to love you the way you love. To be there for you when you're scared, when you're afraid, when you're happy – someone to just be there for you… always."

Emily's heart felt as if it could burst at the mention of that word. She was confused, she was scared, but she knew Derek was right. "Oh and what? _You _are that person?" Emily asked tearfully, still skeptical anyone could ever want her – especially someone as special as Derek Morgan.

"I don't know if I am… But I want to be, more than anything… because_ you_ are that person for me. Emily, I can't stop thinking about you. I go to sleep so excited to wake up just to see you every day. All I want to do is be with you, talk with you…. I want to be there to hold you _every_ night Doyle haunts your dreams so you'll wake up and know that I will never let anyone or anything hurt you."

"I don't deserve you." Emily whispered, still shocked at the words coming out of Derek's mouth.

"No, you don't. You deserve the best, the absolute best that I am most definitely not," he was crying now. Pleading and broken at the fear of rejection from the one woman he had put it all on the line for. "But I promise you I will give you _my_ best: all of me, every day, every hour – because you are worthy of that and so much more. I love you so much Emily. I've always loved you."

She broke down then, letting the tears fall at his confession of love. She had told herself that she could never be loved like this, especially by a man as wonderful as Derek Morgan; but here he was, pouring his heart out to her and she finally realized that all she wanted was him – he was right: it wasn't a new job or a new house – she wanted love and that is what she had always felt for him, she had just been too scared to realize it… until now.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes; unable to argue the lie she'd tried to convince her heart to believe. But it wouldn't listen. And finally she gave in, all of her. She did love him; more than she ever thought was humanly possible. "Derek, I'm so sorry. All I wanted when I was away was to find you, to tell you. But when I came back…" her voice broke. "I was so scared. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you." She continued speak as she wept but not another word came out

Derek's hands cupped her face and immediately his mouth captured her lips with a kiss that held all the passion and all the love he'd held for her for all these years. And she melted into him. They tasted one another's salty tears as they kissed away the worry and the doubt. They clung to each other. One of his hands was tangled in her hair while the other wrapped around her waist and pulled her close as she reached up around his neck. And they slowly took in this ultimate moment that had built upon so many little ones.

They were still in each other's arms, hearts pounding against one another, lost in the moment they had waited for so long. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever but still not long enough as years of suppressed longing and frustration was released in that one single kiss – a sliver of heaven that made neither one of them want to pull away. Finally Emily had to when she could barely breathe any longer, arms still clinging around him as she gasped for air, eyes still closed as she stilled her dizzying body. She opened them slowly to find Derek's eyes gazing at her with the look of complete love. "Take me home, Derek," she whispered in his ear.

And he did. Goodbyes were quickly exchanged with the rest of the guests before they drove, hands intertwined, refusing to ever let go of one another, making up for lost time. They walked into her apartment, shut the door and resumed their string of kisses to make up for the years they had resisted.

Derek picked Emily up by the waist and she wrapped her legs around him, holding one another as though their very lives depended on it. He began to trail his kisses down her neck as Emily clung to him with every fiber of her being and whispered his name over and over; lost in the moment she knew she had dreamed of for so many years.

They slowly made their way to her bedroom, shedding their clothes piece by piece before falling gently onto the bed. Their lips broke apart just long enough for Derek to gently kiss Emily's scars – one of his favorite features about her – before moving his eyes back above her own.

As they took a moment to just stare into one another's eyes, she finally said the words she had been hiding for so long: "I love you." And he echoed her words as they leaned into one another once more, lips meeting with a not simply a desire, but a need of pure survival. Because they knew tonight was the true test of their relationship – the final chance to act upon the emotions they had been dancing around all these years and to welcome the gift they had been given – and they didn't intend to waste a single second any longer. So the rest of the night was lost in only each other as they made love softly and slowly, taking every moment to love and appreciate the rare, second chance they had been given.

That next morning, the sun crept its way into the bedroom, falling warmly on their faces, bare shoulders, and the sheets that covered their entangled bodies - Emily opened her eyes to find Derek kissing her hair tenderly as he stared down at her with the sweetest of smiles – with love, a love they knew would last _always_ and forever.

She snuggled closer as he pulled her into him even more tightly. And they sleepily whispered those three powerful words once more. She knew she was still going to end her career at the BAU. But in this ending, something even more beautiful and lasting had begun. And finally, she felt it. _This_ was the feeling she had been missing - this was the moment she was waiting for - this is what she had been looking for all along. And for once in her life, she felt _home_.

"**They say every ending is also a beginning,**

**we just don't know it at the time.**

**I'd like to believe that's true"**

**-Emily Prentiss, **_**Criminal Minds**_**-  
**

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave a comment below! I'll try to post the epilogue soon!**


End file.
